Please Help!! I'm really scared/confused

[slennhoff]

So I have a tooth, tooth #12 to be exact, and it previously had a root canal done (probably about 8 years ago). The other day, I woke up and the inside of my mouth was swollen on the side where my root canal was. I went into the dentist and my dr said it was not worth saving and we needed to extract it. He put me on amoxicillin first to get rid of the infection and I was on it for about 5 days before I went back to get it extracted. So when I went back to get it extracted, he gave me local anesthetic and told me I would not feel a thing. Well, that wasn't the case. I felt every little thing and I ended up crying and freaking out. My fiance ended up stopping the procedure and he just took me home. Luckily the dentist hadn't started actually removing the tooth yet, he was just sawing it down with one of his tools but I still felt it. It was this sharp kind of pain. Anyway, now I am completely scared to go back again. The dr prescribed me xanax and told me to take 2mg before I come...but I'm still really scared I will still freak out. They also dont do nitric gas so thats not an option. I ended up calling an oral surgeon and seeing if I could do it there because they offer IV anesthetic....but I'm just confused and worried. Will xanax work enough for me to not freak out or feel the pain? Or should I just get the IV anesthetic? Is it different from IV sedation? I've been sedated when getting my wisdom tteth removed and that was a breeze! I just dont know what to do or if the IV anesthetic is worth the price? Thanks so much for your help in advance!

 

[desml]

Speaking from someone who just had a tooth extracted last month and two roots canals done (one redone) and loads of cavities filled, I strongly believe in IV sedation if it is an option and you can afford it. I take Xanax and 2 mg is a large dose but I am not sure. Each person reacts differenty with it.,

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,

Your dentist did not treat you well. A dental treatment can and should be pain free. In some situations is it more difficult to achieve a good anesthesia, but still it is the dentist's responsibility that the patient will not feel pain.

Due to the bad (traumatic) experience, you have probably became more scared of dentists in general and pain during treatment in specific. The only way to really heal it is by finding another dentist who can take the responsibility of providing a pain free dental treatment and step by step establish your trust and confidence in your new dentist. After several positive experiences (meaning pain free treatments) you will also start to believe in the notion that the dentist can and should treat you without pain.

I disagree with desml. Sedation does not allow you to heal the fear. Only my experiencing a pain free treatment can the anxiety be lessened and sedation does not allow you to experience anything. In fact, it can only make the dental anxiety worse.