Please help with support and advice!

[kaybee]

Unfortunately, I have many dental issues because I was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. The very reason I developed dental anxiety is because they broke my jaw while trying to get my wisdom teeth out. Now, I can't sit in the dentist's chair unless it's a cleaning or it's only for a 5 minute filling.

Next month, I have to go back in so that they can fit me for a nightguard so I stop grinding my teeth (edit: so that my teeth don't get too much damage from my grinding. It won't stop the grinding). I'm not too worried about that part, but after that in the same appointment, I have to have a cavity filled and a couple chipped teeth fixed. On the appointment paper, it says that part will take 30 minutes! I can't sit there for 30 minutes! I'm already freaking out and my appointment is still a month away!

I also have to go see a periodontist because I have bone loss in the roots of some of my teeth and they're probably going to have to do root canals. AND on one tooth that I already got a root canal on, apparently the bone in that root (or whatever is left of it) has lost an entire layer and now my tooth is a little wobbly and they're probably going to have to go back in and redo that one.

I'm so scared. I can't even think about anything else right now.

 

[Suzannah99]

Would you take anti-anxiety meds?

I do.
I take 15mg for each appointment.
Knowing that I have a calm way to get through upcoming appointments makes me less anxious in between appointments.
I had two panic attacks at the doctors surgery asking for them and explaining what I was having done as talking about it also sets me off. They said it was really common and lots of people - lots - request and get something to help.
They really do help me. I take 15mg of diazepam for every appointment and it really helps me.

A broken jaw from wisdom extractions is not an unreasonable fear. Me, I almost died aged 8 having 8 extractions due to over -crowding. This was under GA but then upon waking I couldn't speak nor hardly breathe and I attempted to alert the staff but they told my parents I was drowsy from the meds.
We drove away, me in the back seat and I opened the car door as I was unable to alert my parents any other way. I fell out onto the pavement, my lips blue and my Mum jumped out and fished a 12 inch long blood clot that had formed and was stuck to an extraction site and was firmly sitting in my throat.
My fear isn't unreasonable either - just like yours - what a horrific thing for you to go through!!

Get yourself some help for those appointments and you will feel calmer in between.

 

[kaybee]

Would you take anti-anxiety meds?

I do.
I take 15mg for each appointment.
Knowing that I have a calm way to get through upcoming appointments makes me less anxious in between appointments.
I had two panic attacks at the doctors surgery asking for them and explaining what I was having done as talking about it also sets me off. They said it was really common and lots of people - lots - request and get something to help.
They really do help me. I take 15mg of diazepam for every appointment and it really helps me.

A broken jaw from wisdom extractions is not an unreasonable fear. Me, I almost died aged 8 having 8 extractions due to over -crowding. This was under GA but then upon waking I couldn't speak nor hardly breathe and I attempted to alert the staff but they told my parents I was drowsy from the meds.
We drove away, me in the back seat and I opened the car door as I was unable to alert my parents any other way. I fell out onto the pavement, my lips blue and my Mum jumped out and fished a 12 inch long blood clot that had formed and was stuck to an extraction site and was firmly sitting in my throat.
My fear isn't unreasonable either - just like yours - what a horrific thing for you to go through!!

Get yourself some help for those appointments and you will feel calmer in between.

That sounds absolutely horrible! What a terrible experience to have to go through.

I have taken diazepam for a root canal before. I took one before I went to bed and one when I woke up and when I walked into the dentist's office and they called my name, I started crying and shaking and no longer felt the effects of the diazepam. I wouldn't want to up the dose either because I most definitely did feel it before my name got called in, but right when I sat down, I sobbed like baby. I had to reschedule and be put under twilight for the root canal. It was awful. I would be willing to try it again, but I'm just afraid my body will fight against it again.

 

[Matt R73]

So you could have shorter time in the chair, do you have the option of splitting the treatment into 2 or 3 appointments if that would help?

 

[Suzannah99]

With my diazepam I was told to try one in an evening to make sure I didn't have any adverse side effects and then only to take it an hour before my appointment or at the point before my appointment when I felt not just nervous but felt I was getting very anxious.

If taken when you don't really need it it will just make you sleepy.
If taken when you need it it calms you right down and you'll be wide awake, not sleepy at all.
I can only get it in 5mg tablets so I suspect the tablets were the same for you.
It was my dentist who told me I would need 515mg as he had seen how bad I was at my first appointment.
I took 2 tabs 2 hours before the appointment time (by which time I was shaking visibly, heart was really racing and I was unable to concentrate and then one just before I went in and it worked.
I still felt somewhat nervous but nothing like the panic attack type feeling I had the first time.

Take them much nearer to your appointment time and they will help. Even just 10 mg (2 tabs) an hour before would do more for you than the way you took that dose last time would.
Do remember not to drive whilst using them though and the effects can last 8 hours.

 

[comfortdentist]

@Kaybee
It would be best if you were seen by a dentist who has experience treating patients with complex medical needs, special needs, etc. A dentist like that will also be comfortable with you and routinely adjust their treatment and approach for the patient's needs rather than their own.