Please help: afraid of sedation, numbing...everything!

[star2sparkle]

Hello everyone.
I have been here before a few times.
My teeth aren't very good; I have had a few out over the years and have absolutely no confidence to smile at all.
I'm getting married in August and I'm trying to get my teeth reasonable so I can smile a bit for the camera. I normally cover my face. After this treatment though, without a couple of dentures that I will then be needing, I am going to looking pretty gappy and strange! And I'm not even sure the dentures will be done in time...
So on Wednesday I am going in for IV sedation and I am bricking it.
I have phobias that are not connected to dentists and one is the fear of losing control so I am terrified of the IV sedation. I can't see another way of getting this treatment done without it, but is it suitable for someone like me? Is it just a prick in your hand? I am so afraid of it.
I have to have 5 small (mostly) fillings, two extractions and a scale and polish. Isn't that a lot just for one visit? I am also afraid of the numb feeling and although most of the work is the upper teeth, unfortunately there is a filling to be done on the lower right and an extraction on the lower left, so that must mean immense numbing, surely?!
I reckon all this treatment will take at least an hour and I have read very intently on here all about numbing and IV sedation but I am absolutely terrified. I am frightened of choking, losing control, panicking (as suffer from anxiety normally) and fainting too.
I have tried talking to the dentist and although he is very nice (smiles a lot...alright for some!) he doesn't understand my fears, I don't think and half the time he mumbles so I can't understand what he is saying, and he doesn't explain a lot.
Help! Should I be doing it this way?...though I think there is no other way.

 

[littlestar88]

Your treatment would probably be a lot in one go if it wasn't for the IV. With the IV youre so relaxed that the dentist can do a lot more in one go with no problems. I had IV for 4 wisdom teeth out a couple of weeks ago, one of which was horizontal. Theres no way i would have got them out in one go (or at all) without the IV but as it was it was a breeze. I also had IV a couple of years ago for a 2 1/2 hour clean! The placing of the IV is just a prick, hurts much much less than vaccinations even. But I had an emla patch from the pharmacy which numbs the area first as I do tend to faint with needles and I didn't feel much at all. You just need to go in 45 minutes earlier for them to choose a vein and stick the patch on.

You won't panic once under the IV so don't worry about that. the IV also helps with a gag reflex and the dentist wont let you choke. Fainting doesnt matter to them. The first time I got IV I fainted at the needle and they just reclined the chair more (I don't like it reclined but I prefer it to fainting). This time I told the dentist when I got my IV done as I was worried they would cancel if I fainted but again they didn't worry about it and with the chair reclined from the start and the emla patch I didn't faint. But they said don't worry if it does happen and they must see it all the time.

Also don't worry about the numbing. I must have had a lot for my wisdom teeth - all 4 corners of my mouth but after the sedation I remember my face feeling funny but I didn't care. It also wore off before the IV fully had so I was chilled out while the numbing wore off. But theres nothing to worry about - it feels a bit funny like when you have a dead arm but it didn't hurt at all.

The only thing that worries me is that you don't feel 100% comfortable with your dentist. maybe e-mail him and just say you need more explanation and see how he responds? Maybe he thinks you don't wan't to know and is trying to be helpful. but if he doesn't respond well maybe find someone else. it just depends if you would rather get it over with even if you arnt totally comfortable (you can still change dentist after this work is done) or if finding someone else would be more helpful.

Good luck

 

[Kim]

Firstly congratulations on your up and coming wedding - how wonderful for you, it will be a magical day in your life

Try not to worry about the iv sedation - it is wonderful. Yes you will feel a tiny pinch when the needle goes in (mine was in my arm) and you will just be focusing on something (I was looking at the clock) and before you know it you will be done and on your way home.

You will also have local anaesthetic, but you won't know a thing about that because it will be done when the iv has kicked in. It will seem like a lot of work to be done in one go, but because you will not be aware of what is going on, the dentist will be able to get all of that done in one sitting for you.

I have never fainted in the dentists, but even if I did, I would imagine I would be in the reclined chair, so wouldn't be going very far anyway and dentists and their nurses are trained in dealing with that sort of thing, so there's another little worry you can tick off of your list.

Let the dentist know that you are getting married and that you want to be able to smile big style on your special day, and I am sure he will do all he can to make sure that happens for you.

You will be fine hunni, and focus on the fact that you will end up with a lovely smile in time for your wedding day. Will be thinking about you, so do come back and let us know how you get on.

Kim x

 

[xKansan]

When I was getting my wisdoms out, I was given IV sedation, despite my immense fears of it. They were all unfounded. In my case at least, I NEVER even BEGAN to feel drugged, sleepy, out of control, or anything. I quite literally was fully conscious one moment, and the procedure was over the next.

It was absolutely nothing like general anesthesia, in my case. It was like I fast forwarded reality. IV sedation is a miracle, trust me.