successful crown and filling!!

[odelay]

Hi all,

First post here. I wanted to wait until after my appointment. I hadn't been to the dentist in six years, and was super freaked out about going (or more specifically, freaked about drills and needles.) I've been grinding my teeth for years (bruxism is the technical term) to the point where the 2nd to last molars on the top and bottom of my teeth were totally flat, with five little holes arranged in a star-point pattern (don't ask me how they managed to do that, LOL.) The grinding made one more kind of grayish and led to a big portion of another breaking off above the gum line. They never really hurt, but were cold sensitive. I kept negotiating in my head, saying I'll go if my front teeth look bad, or my molars start hurting, etc... Finally, I just thought "the hell with it," sucked it up and called for an appointment to get a cleaning and check up. They were able to get me in two days later.

Low and behold, the day came and went and I found out I needed 11 fillings and 2 crowns for the damaged molars, which really didn't make me happy. They made four (!!!) more appointments and prescribed a few Valium. There was a month between my checkup and the first appointment, due to my and my dentist's vacation schedules.

My first appointment was last Monday, the day after coming back from a two week vacation. (I think that helped. I stayed so busy I never had the time to sit and dwell on the dentist.) I didn't take the Valium because I had a work appointment later the same day I needed to drive to. (Admittedly, a lot of the Valium was taken recreationally on the trip. I don't think it had an enormous effect on me. I'm not endorsing taking prescription drugs for fun!)

I got into the chair, and did get a little panicked and started crying when the dental assistant was getting everything ready. She was super nice, though, totally understanding and very patient. I got some nitrous, which once again, didn't have much of an effect, so I just went without it. She numbed up the injection site with a topical (inner corner of the mouth, at the gum line.) The injection honestly wasn't painful. It's weird, I could feel the needle go in but I didn't feel any pain. It just felt... occupied. She said to wait until half my lip numbed up, which it didn't. I got another injection (once again, I could feel it but I didn't feel pain) which also didn't cause numbness in my lips. It was very comforting to know that there's a definite way to measure if you're numb or not. She spoke with the dentist, who then gave me a bunch of small (but not painful) injections around the teeth he was working on, which numbed me right away. (I forget what it's called, but these injections worked instantly but don't last as long.) It was also very comforting to know that they weren't going to start the work until I was totally numb. They're not there to cause you pain.

Then for the drilling. The time it took to drill one cavity and drill one tooth for a crown didn't take long. It lasted for exactly one Spoon, one Death Cab, and part of a Tori Amos on my Ipod (bringing something to listen to helped a lot. You can still mostly hear the drill and feel the vibrations, but it was nice to have favorite music to concentrate on.) I felt zero pain during the drilling. I was completely numb. I kept my eyes closed as not to see things flying at my mouth. I could taste what came off my teeth, which was a little nasty but not terrible. After the drilling, they took impressions and did color matching, and put the temporary on. I get the permanent crown a week from Monday, when I also get the 2nd crown started and two other cavities filled.

I'm very happy and relieved that I pushed myself to go through it. Although my gum is a little sore two days later (nothing some advil can't fix) the procedure itself, from injection through drilling, was 100% painless. Although I have three more appointments, 10 more fillings and one more crown to go, I am not at all nervous and am actually looking forward to having a healthy, complete set of teeth again. I am completely confident in my dentist. My only worry is paying for it, but I'm hoping I will be able to do it all out of pocket. I feel so silly now about being so freaked out for so long, because it really wasn't bad at all. I know now to be a diligent, two check-ups and cleanings a year girl. I'm even thinking about getting a gum graft next summer to repair a few receding areas of gum.

For anyone feeling hesitant, go for it!! You have nothing to lose (but your teeth!!)

 

[odelay]

Hi everyone,

Had appointment 3 out of 5 yesterday. Went in to get a permanent crown on, get a temporary crown on another tooth and two fillings. I was a little nervous, but nothing like I was before. I kept reminding myself, "last time was fine, this will be the same."

The gum around the temp crown got pretty swollen last week, so they wanted to numb me with a block (injection) on that side as well. It's weird, last time I received two blocks and neither had any effect, so I ended up receiving ligs (a series of quick injections around the base of the tooth that work quickly but don't last as long as other anesthetics. They last about 1/2 hour.) This time, they gave me a block on both corners. The left side (the one with the temporary crown) half worked - it made my tongue and lip numb, but not my teeth. The right side had no effect. The injections have a little bit of a nip to them, but they're not bad. (Less painful than an eyebrow wax ) I received three (!!!) blocks on my right side, and none worked. My dentist finally said "we'll just give you ligs from now on," which I was happy to hear.

In retrospective, I would have skipped the numbing for the permanent crown. Since the block didn't numb my teeth, I could feel it. It wasn't exactly painful, but it did have a bit of bite to it when they pulled the temp crown off (I think it's mostly because it pushed against the dentin, the nerve-heavy central part of your tooth.) They messed with the surrounding gum a bit, making sure it was clean (that didn't hurt at all.) Cementing and placing the permanent crown wasn't painful at all. I'm soooo happy with how the permanent crown looks. It's beautiful! I opted for a slightly more expensive (about $30 more with insurance) resin on white metal crown that looks totally natural. I haven't had a normal sized tooth there in so long that I keep rubbing my tongue up to it and marveling at how good it feels! LOL. Now that the permanent crown is in (and I can floss that area again,) the gum swelling has gone down considerably. It doesn't hurt at all today.

After the three blocks on the right hand side, I fiiiiinally got my ligs. The dentist filed down my molar, with no pain at all, in the time it took to listen to one Bob Dylan song. (This is where I don't always understand my dentist's decision making. Today I was supposed to have two cavities filled in teeth close to the one that was crowned, just like last time. At my last appointment, they ligged all the teeth that needed work and just did them all at once. THIS time, he didn't want to fill the cavities because I'd needed a lig on the crowned tooth. At my next appointment, I'm getting three fillings on the top right side of my mouth, so he's going to do my two lower right side fillings the same day. I don't get the difference, not that it matters much to me at this point.) After the drilling, they did the standard molding of the tooth and making and placing the temporary. None of that caused me any pain. I was in and out in about 1 hour 40 minutes, mostly due to waiting around for the block to kick in.

Next appointment I get my last permanent crown (SO EXCITED! not to have a broken, ground down tooth that gets crap caught in it all the time!) and 5 cavities filled. The appointment after that, I believe I will get four fillings on the top left side of my mouth. And then I'M FINISHED!!!! although I will be making an appointment for another checkup and cleaning for the spring, so I can keep my teeth healthy from now on.

One thing that's been a bit of a trial about this is the expense. I live in the good USofA, where we're still paying out of pocket for health care (but hopefully for not much longer!) My dental insurance covers cleanings and checkups, pays 80% of fillings and 50% of crowns, with a $50 copay and $1000 yearly maximum benefit. My out-of-pocket expense for this will come out to slightly under $2000, since I maxed out my benefits for this year. I was lucky I had a little bit of money saved, so I could pay for it out of pocket and didn’t worry about owing. Still keeping my fingers crossed for universal health care, though!

 

[olivacs]

Great job! I just got done getting my temp crown and am nervous about it falling off before my permanent one comes in but you have given me hopw with your story! Thanks so much for sharing and congrats on a job well done.

 

[odelay]

as long as you don't floss around your temporary crown, avoid sticky food and are generally gentle with it while you brush and eat, it should stay in place without any problems. Good luck with it! Do you have to wait two weeks?

Both my brother and sister have told me they kept temporary crowns in for several years each without problems, LOL. I think they lucked out. I can't imagine leaving them there for so long, the temporaries look and feel so fake... I think it would just drive me nuts.

 

[Geraint]

Well done, Odelay on getting though your fillings and crowns. I also listen to an mp 3 player when i need any drilling done I find as you say that it helps drown out the noise. You have done really well getting three, four, five fillings done in one visit I don't think I could cope with that amount of treatment in one go.

 

[olivacs]

Thanks for the advice Odelay! I am going away for a few days and am worried that the temp would fall off while I am gone. Just my mind playing games with me I think.

I admire your courage and ability to get thru it all!

 

[odelay]

I had two appointments this week - the fourth and fifth time I've been this summer. The first appointment was to get a permanent crown and a few fillings, and the second was for fillings only. I was a little bit apprehensive for these two, because I would be seeing a different dentist in the same office. I had nothing to worry about - he was very personable and friendly, and did excellent work.

I can honestly say these two visits were painless. I couldn't feel the injections the dentist and hygienist gave me. Once again, the blocks on the bottom of my mouth didn't work, so I got lignocaine again (which works awesome.) I was glad to learn that the blocks work on both sides of the top of my mouth. (apparently it's way easier to numb the top than the bottom.) I had eight fillings done over the two visits and it was incredibly easy. They drill (totally painless,) they put metal things in your mouth to block off the teeth when they put the fillings in, and they cure it with what looks like a tiny hair dryer, and that's it.

After five visits in three months, (one checkup, four work) ten (I think) fillings, two crowns, and twelve rounds of local anesthesia, I can honestly say I am no longer afraid of needles OR dentists. I think I spent so long obsessing over it and blowing it up in my head that I ended up with an incredibly unrealistic idea of how it would be. I was nervous about the cost, which came to about $2000 out of pocket after $1000 maximum insurance benefits. I was lucky to be able to pay it out of pocket, although I'm a little cash poor right now. What I have learned from this is to be more diligent about going in on a regular basis to get cleanings and checkups. Even a little bit of work every year won't end up being a big cost.

For those of you who are still apprehensive about going in, I strongly urge you to go for it. My biggest piece of advice would be to skip the valium, sedation and laughing gas (but not the anesthesia! get that, it's great) and just go in "sober." You will see exactly how it is, and you'll realize it's something you can handle, because it's not bad.

And I am DONE!!!!!!! with all my work for the year. I have one totally healthy mouth!