L
laughingloon
Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2011
- Messages
- 31
- Location
- Upper Midwest USA
I appreciate all the courage shared here and the amazing support. I have been "lurking" for a couple of weeks but haven't posted as I don't know if my experience fits in after reading other stories.
I am very anxious about going to the dentist. For me, it seems to be getting worse, not better. Childhood trauma (held down for fillings, having to walk after school alone to dental appts.) and for the last 18 years having to have extensive treatment all contribute to the fear.
During graduate school I worked at a home for adults with severe developmental disabilites. One night I was injured in my jaw and teeth. I saw my dentist the next day and my back teeth didn't touch. It is a long story, but over the years I ended up with root canal therapy in all my teeth, crowns, TMJ surgery and regular follow-up care over the years (and ongoing pain after dental visits). Many of the teeth have needed to be retreated and a few have needed apicoectomy done. I am told that because of all the work I have needed I now have what is called neuropathic pain. Imagine having a toothache, forcing yourself to the dentist through the fear, seeing a tooth x-ray that in most everyone else would show an abcess needing RCT or extraction only to be told it is part of a "pain illness." Three teeth have required removal and have or are currently in the process of getting implants. "Neuropathic pain" is a very real condition. Because of all the work that has been done, nerves going to a tooth or teeth become "de-sensitized" leading to low grade chronic pain. We have "watched" teeth that react to all the diagnostic tests for endodontic issues over several years. I don't want to have any teeth removed--they have told me that the pain won't go away even after the tooth is gone since the nerve irritation goes past the mouth area. Here is the challenge: after a tooth like this ends up being removed there is indication of infection (though my dentist and TMJ specialist say that since my periodontist who did the extractions didn't send it to the "lab" it could be a benign type cyst not infection. Problem is my periodontist has been in practice as long as the other two dentists tenure combined.
How can all this be paid for? It was a work injury and so insurance has covered it. That also means that I have to continue to see the "treating providers." My general dentist is really nice. She bought the practice of my last dentist who I saw over the time of the injury and who did most of the root canals.
I see the periodontist because my case is more complex with crowns, etc. She has been on the dental school faculty of the major university in the metropolitan area where I live and is highly regarded by colleagues who refer patients to her and by patients. The oral surgeon who did the jaw surgery 16 years ago managed my case follow-up over the years. He too was top of the line in terms of reputation and loved by patients. When he retired, my therapist (a health psychologist on the dental school faculty--imagine that, a dental school that has classes on psychology!) refered me to an oral medicine/chronic oral/head pain. I have been seeing him for the past 5 years. We just finished making a new "nightguard" that I don't like so much since it is higher than the last one but it has to be.
I am sorry to rattle on like this. I decided to post in case any one else can give me support and to let people know that other than full dentures, I have had most everything done, I am amazed how everyone with dentures seems happy with their decision and their new teeth. I think it is great, but I hate the partial denture I have to wear since the last tooth removal several months ago. (It is temporary, but still is 6 months or more after the next implant surgery in the next week or two--I'm too scared to schedule it.)
The dental anxiety was doing fine for several years--I didn't like going but didn't lose sleep days before getting work done, panic attacks in the dental chair, etc. Nitrous oxide, that heavenly discovery sometimes doesn't take the edge completely off, even with pre-medication.
I am a bit envious (lol) of many of you who have seen the dentist after years of not going and have overcome your fear and finished or are on the downhill side of getting your dental work done. For me, there will always be another crown, another tooth will need removal, going to the periodontist for perio cleaning 4x a year (they have to numb my whole mouth to get under the crowns all the way). Not going is not an option--the insurance company would say I'm not being compliant with treatment.
I need to get the implant surgery for where tooth 14 used to be but I am more scared than I have been in a long time. I've been through it before but last time the anesthetic wore off while the periodontist was doing the sutures. I thought that since we were almost done why bother with a top-up. (I should have asked and will going forward.)
Is anyone else dealing with the dental anxiety roller coaster--you go for awhile managing pretty well but then it come back. Perhaps it is like depression, my other chronic and disabling health condition.
I've put this out here. This may have been too much or no one else can identify with me, but I wrote this thinking and hoping that "depressive" thinking is wrong. Anyone?
I am very anxious about going to the dentist. For me, it seems to be getting worse, not better. Childhood trauma (held down for fillings, having to walk after school alone to dental appts.) and for the last 18 years having to have extensive treatment all contribute to the fear.
During graduate school I worked at a home for adults with severe developmental disabilites. One night I was injured in my jaw and teeth. I saw my dentist the next day and my back teeth didn't touch. It is a long story, but over the years I ended up with root canal therapy in all my teeth, crowns, TMJ surgery and regular follow-up care over the years (and ongoing pain after dental visits). Many of the teeth have needed to be retreated and a few have needed apicoectomy done. I am told that because of all the work I have needed I now have what is called neuropathic pain. Imagine having a toothache, forcing yourself to the dentist through the fear, seeing a tooth x-ray that in most everyone else would show an abcess needing RCT or extraction only to be told it is part of a "pain illness." Three teeth have required removal and have or are currently in the process of getting implants. "Neuropathic pain" is a very real condition. Because of all the work that has been done, nerves going to a tooth or teeth become "de-sensitized" leading to low grade chronic pain. We have "watched" teeth that react to all the diagnostic tests for endodontic issues over several years. I don't want to have any teeth removed--they have told me that the pain won't go away even after the tooth is gone since the nerve irritation goes past the mouth area. Here is the challenge: after a tooth like this ends up being removed there is indication of infection (though my dentist and TMJ specialist say that since my periodontist who did the extractions didn't send it to the "lab" it could be a benign type cyst not infection. Problem is my periodontist has been in practice as long as the other two dentists tenure combined.
How can all this be paid for? It was a work injury and so insurance has covered it. That also means that I have to continue to see the "treating providers." My general dentist is really nice. She bought the practice of my last dentist who I saw over the time of the injury and who did most of the root canals.
I see the periodontist because my case is more complex with crowns, etc. She has been on the dental school faculty of the major university in the metropolitan area where I live and is highly regarded by colleagues who refer patients to her and by patients. The oral surgeon who did the jaw surgery 16 years ago managed my case follow-up over the years. He too was top of the line in terms of reputation and loved by patients. When he retired, my therapist (a health psychologist on the dental school faculty--imagine that, a dental school that has classes on psychology!) refered me to an oral medicine/chronic oral/head pain. I have been seeing him for the past 5 years. We just finished making a new "nightguard" that I don't like so much since it is higher than the last one but it has to be.
I am sorry to rattle on like this. I decided to post in case any one else can give me support and to let people know that other than full dentures, I have had most everything done, I am amazed how everyone with dentures seems happy with their decision and their new teeth. I think it is great, but I hate the partial denture I have to wear since the last tooth removal several months ago. (It is temporary, but still is 6 months or more after the next implant surgery in the next week or two--I'm too scared to schedule it.)
The dental anxiety was doing fine for several years--I didn't like going but didn't lose sleep days before getting work done, panic attacks in the dental chair, etc. Nitrous oxide, that heavenly discovery sometimes doesn't take the edge completely off, even with pre-medication.
I am a bit envious (lol) of many of you who have seen the dentist after years of not going and have overcome your fear and finished or are on the downhill side of getting your dental work done. For me, there will always be another crown, another tooth will need removal, going to the periodontist for perio cleaning 4x a year (they have to numb my whole mouth to get under the crowns all the way). Not going is not an option--the insurance company would say I'm not being compliant with treatment.
I need to get the implant surgery for where tooth 14 used to be but I am more scared than I have been in a long time. I've been through it before but last time the anesthetic wore off while the periodontist was doing the sutures. I thought that since we were almost done why bother with a top-up. (I should have asked and will going forward.)
Is anyone else dealing with the dental anxiety roller coaster--you go for awhile managing pretty well but then it come back. Perhaps it is like depression, my other chronic and disabling health condition.
I've put this out here. This may have been too much or no one else can identify with me, but I wrote this thinking and hoping that "depressive" thinking is wrong. Anyone?