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STILL feeling anxiety over next appointment

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perfectlife

Junior member
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
16
Location
CANADA
Hi everyone. So I've posted a few times already... and been going to the dentist since about two months ago. I have been 3 times already and I have another appointment this Friday at 9am. I feel myself getting worked up about it. I have been conquering this fear, yet I feel it creeping up on me again. It's so familiar, yet I hate it. I am going to be having about the same amount of work done as last time. I will be sitting with my mouth open for two hours while they fix all the teeth on one of the upper sides of my mouth. I didn't want to break up the visits because I don't want to add more visits to the dentist. I know its kind of silly. I also really dislike the feeling of the freezing taking... and then when it starts to come out.
I am wondering if anyone who has had work done on the top teeth if you have to lay back more than if you get work on the bottom. It sounds like a silly question, but I've mostly had work done on the bottom of my mouth... and they put a dental dam in etc, but it was so hard to swallow etc with my mouth open and laying back for that long.
maybe I just need to vent about feeling overwhelmed... thanks for listening/reading everyone.
 
I didn't notice being laid down any further for the top to the bottom. I don't think I can be tipped back much more than I am already, without my legs going over my head in a tipple tail.

I have been having two and three hour appointments myself that also involve having a dental dam. I have found that I have been able to swallow and breath as normal. Maybe you could mention to your dentist how you feel and see if they could make it more comfortable for you.

It is more my jaw killing that bothers me whilst it is being done and also after as I have TMJ and it can feel too much at times, but my dentist gives me the opportunity to rest often and this helps.

I have fought nerves for years but managed to get treatment as you are doing. Good luck for Friday :clover::clover::clover:
 
Hi! I'm the opposite of you in that most of the work I've had has been on top. I think it somewhat depends on the dentist with regard to chair position but my dentist did warn me when working on upper back teeth that she would have to tip me back further than usual so she could see what she was doing. It was okay but definitely further than I preferred and it left me a bit dizzy getting up to leave. If it is only fillings you are having done it is much easier to keep things dry on top so you may not need the dental dam this time. The anticipatory anxiety has haunted me for years so I feel your pain! Just remember how well you did the last time and that no matter what comes up you and your dentist will work through it together. Best of luck with your appointment. If you are having jaw pain from long appointments you can ask for a bite-block to rest your teeth on and hold your jaw open if you feel comfortable. Basically, it is a small foam or rubber block you bite down on and hold between your upper and lower teeth on the side opposite to where the dentist is working and it props your mouth open. I have used it before and it helped me relax for long filling appointments.
 
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me about this, I really appreciate the support.

I had the bite block at my last appointment, it was nice to have so that I didn't have to strain to open my mouth for that long. I still found it was a pain in my jaw though. and the pain lasted a good week afterwards (in my jaw). I think partly from being a little anxious during the appointment I might have been really clamping down on it and causing that pressure. I'm just going to remember for this time to try to relax a bit more... if possible.

I will make sure I voice my concerns to the dentist and dental assistant before they start anything in my mouth. I think as long as I know what's going on it will be ok... it's not nice to be surprised at the dentist... I think we all can agree on that.

I'm looking forward to being on the other side of this appointment... thanks again everyone for the support... carole and kitkat.... I'll be back :)
 
Hello perfectlife,
I just had my dentist appointment yesterday..I couldn't sleep the night before and was thinking about canceling my appointment but I didn't. I had to get 2 top premolars refilled(removing silver fillings and replacing with composite ones)..I didn't have to be laid down all the way (where I felt I was nearly standing on my head:)) So it was comfortable..I didn't have a bite block so my jaw was pretty tired afterwards..My dentist offered to let me rest for a couple minutes when I felt I needed it but I just wanted to get done! good luck!
 
so I did it! I made it through my dentist appointment... thank you for your support!! For some reason, today was really hard! I thought I was beating this fear... but at least I went thru with it. I kept thinking over and over, I could just run! nobody is stopping me.. but I didn't. My husband has been great to support me so much. And this time my 8 month old came too (we didn't have a babysitter for him). He was such a good boy... had his nap in his car seat and helped me to relax as much as I could there.

They filled about 5 more cavities this time. Not quite as long as last time sitting there but still about 1 1/2 hours... and I did remember to relax more rather than biting hard on the bite block, so my jaw doesn't hurt so much now. I was a wreck though coming up to the appointment. I didn't have to be laying back as much as I thought, I actually felt like I could lay back more and still be comfortable but I didn't suggest it. And freezing on the top is way different than on the bottom. It didn't take nearly as long to numb which freaked me out because the dental assistant started to put in the dental dam and bite block right away, and I said wait a second... don't you need to wait until I freeze... and she said it doesn't take as long and that they could do freezing on the top and pull a tooth within minutes. ( I told her, well don't pull anything because I only need fillings!)

anyways... I made it thru even though a lot of the time was me telling myself not to bite/push the dentist out of the way and RUN. I am hoping things get easier/better for next time etc. I am sure they will? even if they don't I still plan on going thru with this. I know my husband will help me because he knows I need to get my mouth healthy.... it's depressing!
 
Glad you made it through your appointment! It took courage...I too, had the same thoughts of running away during my appointment to have a tooth extracted!! I was in the chair waiting to get numb and the dentist and assistant both left the room and I kept getting more and more scared and my heart started beating faster and I was going to get up and run..LOL...one half of my brain was saying go..go..run.. while the other half was saying, no, it will be fine and you will feel better...I stayed in the chair and it was fine(and painless)..Glad I stayed..the last appointment I was in the chair waiting for the dentist to come back to start my fillings and I was listening to the radio and this machine making funny noises(like it was breathing)..Then the radio quit and everything was so quiet and I didn't hear any voices..nothing.I felt like the only one in the building..I wanted to go see where everyone was...But I just sat there and waited. Scary to say the least..But soon the dentist came back and all was good..Got two new composite fillings...What other work do you need done? I think each visit gets easier if you know what to expect...(like chair position, the bite block, how the shots work , etc) Good luck with your next visit...:clover:
 
next appointment is end of June (the earliest appointment my dentist had open that was in the morning)... and it will be sort of the same as this time. I have got my right side fixed (a total of 10 or so cavities filled so far)... and next appointment they will work on the left upper side. working through til the whole mouth is fixed up. after that I get my upper wisdom teeth out... then a thorough cleaning etc. then hopefully to normal dentist appointments where it's just a cleaning every visit. I never want another cavity in my life.
 
I totally agree with you! I never want anymore cavities either...I have a cleaning scheduled for January..(that is when I have my insurance again)....Then hopefully every 6 months for a checkup..
 
Lillyh I think you are doing well and coping much better than you even thought you could. It is lovely to see you back the last week or so. I am glad you are getting on top of things with our mouth now. Good luck for you clean in January :clover::clover::clover:

perfectlife I think you deserve a medal, having so much work done in the appointments. Congrats to you :jump::jump::jump::cheer::cheer::cheer::dance2::dance2::dance2::dance2::dance2::thumbsup::thumbsup::yayy::yayy::yayy::perfect::perfect::perfect::wow:I think it is good that your son went too, he will get used to the place before he has to see the dentist himself. :butterfly:
 
so I did it! I made it through my dentist appointment... thank you for your support!! For some reason, today was really hard! I thought I was beating this fear... but at least I went thru with it. I kept thinking over and over, I could just run! nobody is stopping me.. but I didn't. My husband has been great to support me so much. And this time my 8 month old came too (we didn't have a babysitter for him). He was such a good boy... had his nap in his car seat and helped me to relax as much as I could there.

That is great that you made it through! :jump:We all have our up and down days with the anxiety. It sounds like you didn't fully know what to expect with having work done on the top teeth for the first time and having the baby with you maybe made you feel more stressed than usual. It sounds like you did very well though! I have also noticed that if I have done well with quite a few appointments consecutively I get less of the "kid gloves" treatment which makes me feel more nervous so that could also be that case? :confused: I'm jealous of your son; I wish I could nap at the dentist! :rolleyes: The only way I could nap in a dentist office is with some heavy sedation! :)

They filled about 5 more cavities this time. Not quite as long as last time sitting there but still about 1 1/2 hours... and I did remember to relax more rather than biting hard on the bite block, so my jaw doesn't hurt so much now. I was a wreck though coming up to the appointment. I didn't have to be laying back as much as I thought, I actually felt like I could lay back more and still be comfortable but I didn't suggest it. And freezing on the top is way different than on the bottom. It didn't take nearly as long to numb which freaked me out because the dental assistant started to put in the dental dam and bite block right away, and I said wait a second... don't you need to wait until I freeze... and she said it doesn't take as long and that they could do freezing on the top and pull a tooth within minutes. ( I told her, well don't pull anything because I only need fillings!)

Yes, freezing on the bottom does seem quite different from the top. While I don't wish for any dental work, I feel more comfortable with work on top because I worry about my tongue being in the way and I don't like the sensation of my chin/tongue/bottom jaw and lip numb and for some reason, I have a hard time getting numb on the bottom in the first place.

anyways... I made it thru even though a lot of the time was me telling myself not to bite/push the dentist out of the way and RUN. I am hoping things get easier/better for next time etc. I am sure they will? even if they don't I still plan on going thru with this. I know my husband will help me because he knows I need to get my mouth healthy.... it's depressing!

It should get easier now that you know what to expect with treatment on the top teeth. Slowly, you should be desensitizing to a lot of it with these frequent and long appointments.

Next appointment is end of June (the earliest appointment my dentist had open that was in the morning)... and it will be sort of the same as this time. I have got my right side fixed (a total of 10 or so cavities filled so far)... and next appointment they will work on the left upper side. working through til the whole mouth is fixed up. after that I get my upper wisdom teeth out... then a thorough cleaning etc. then hopefully to normal dentist appointments where it's just a cleaning every visit. I never want another cavity in my life.

You sound like a trooper! I never did more than 2 fillings and the first time my dentist suggested 2 in one sitting I looked at her like she was crazy! :noway:She eventually convinced me because the teeth were side by side but it was stressful to me to do the whole procedure twice over in one sitting and I've only elected to do that 2 other times to my memory and one time it snuck up on me. It went something like "I'd like to fix this one next to it too real quick, since we are already here, is that okay?" I hate surprises like that! :( I know what you mean about having enough fillings. I feel like I have more than my fair share. I am more annoyed/tired of them these days than I am scared of them! :rolleyes:
 
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