Hey Captain -
I'd say what happened to you is not all that uncommon, and nothing to be ashamed of.
It sounds as if you trust this dentist...is this someone you've been seeing for a length of time or are you still building a relationship with this dentist?
I am happy to hear that you trust the dentist - that's half the battle for me in conquering my dental anxiety.
If I were you, I'd call the Dentist and ask his thoughts on the idea of taking an anti-anxiety med before your next visit. Only because he/she should know what medications you're on in the very rare event that he needs to prescribe or administer something to you. I doubt the dentist would have a problem with you taking something mild to calm yourself...
A few things that help me get through dental procedures:
1. I prefer to have an overall step by step re: what's happening as they work on my teeth...most importantly, I like to ask how long my dentist anticipates a procedure will take her to complete. If she breaks down each step in time for me, it seems to go super fast ...like if, for example, she says she's going to remove the decay and there may be some vibration for 5-10 minutes, I feel more secure for some reason...I have an end in sight and know I can hold out. She's always checking on me every few minutes and we arrange hand signals in advance if I need a break, need more numbing medication or if I just need a rest. Almost always, I'm just giving her the thumbs up that all is well, but I do occasionally ask for a break. Having them tell me what's happening has become rather fascinating, really. I had no idea of the intricate steps involved in procedures and the equipment they have today is so advanced and so much easier than it was even just 10-15 years ago! The digital xrays alone are so awesome!
2. Do you have music you enjoy that you can bring and listen to on a personal device? My dentist offers iPods, though I prefer to have communication with her during my appointments so I decline.
3. Some people prefer to hold a stress ball that they can squeeze if they get nervous. I find that makes me more tense and remind myself to relax my hands -- I've been told that the more relaxed you are, the easier a procedure will be overall.
4. If you're anxious about having so many tools in your mouth at once, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! Just today I was having work done and felt like it was a lot going on! Ask your dentist if they can minimize - maybe they don't have to do suction constantly, for example. Also, I find that having cotton rolls to keep my tongue in check is MUCH more comforting to me than having someone hold a tool to keep my tongue from interfering. Also, some people hate the bite block - I do. Might try having work performed w/o it if you're concerned about having too many tools in your mouth as they work.
5. Maybe take someone with you, a close family member or friend for moral support. Even if they just wait in the waiting room - for a lot of people, just the knowledge that you're not alone is very comforting when they're anxious.
6. I don't want to trigger anxiety for you, but maybe if you could pin point exactly what made you so nervous, you can talk to the dentist about it *before* they do the work...sometimes for me, all I need is my dentist to tell me "You'll do great!" and I feel much more confident.
Whatever you do, keep telling yourself that you trust your dentist, and most importantly, you have all of the control, just like last time. If you're too uncomfortable, tell them. They will never force you to stay or do anything that you don't consent to. You're paying them to give you quality, compassionate dental care. And you deserve that, too.
I'm thinking you'll sail through this next appointment with just a few minor adjustments (medication maybe, talking to your dentist about your concerns certainly!). Best of luck.
