Thisismyjournal (thisisme)

[MountainMama]

Just to let everyone know... I’ve sent the emails.

(Those are all my emotions...)

Good luck! I just wanted to comment on the allergy. I have a nickel allergy (and slight allergy to other metals as well). I still can’t wear earrings, even ones that are nickel-free. I can’t wear a watch, unless it is plastic, as the metal rubbing on my skin causes a rash. However, I had braces for three years as a teen, at the same time I discovered my metal allergy by getting my ears pierced. It never caused a problem with my braces. The only thing I noticed was that if my lip or cheek got irritated by an overlong wire, it always turned into a canker sore.

 

[thisisme]

Good luck! I just wanted to comment on the allergy. I have a nickel allergy (and slight allergy to other metals as well). I still can’t wear earrings, even ones that are nickel-free. I can’t wear a watch, unless it is plastic, as the metal rubbing on my skin causes a rash. However, I had braces for three years as a teen, at the same time I discovered my metal allergy by getting my ears pierced. It never caused a problem with my braces. The only thing I noticed was that if my lip or cheek got irritated by an overlong wire, it always turned into a canker sore.

This makes me feel so much better. I’m so worried my lips would swell or I will have a horrible reaction. The memory of being a little kid on the counter while my mom tries to get an earring out of my swollen ear will always be with me. ? I will never risk ear piercing again because of it. I do have issues with a few new necklaces rubbing against my skin but I never break out. It’s just a bit itchy. It’s weird because I’m not really allergic to much, so I don’t understand. I’m still terrified about adult braces, but I’m trying to do baby steps.

 

[thisisme]

I never heard back on either orthodontist email, so I’ve pretty much just took a break. I try to remind myself that my teeth and healthy and they are mine, and it’s okay they are not perfect. I will pursue that route eventually, but I feel stuck right now. I’ve been preoccupied with work and other things, so I moved it down on the priority list.

I had a first date last night and kept wondering what he must think of my teeth, but it seems like he wants a second date, so maybe they aren’t as bad as I think they are.

I had to reschedule my check up appointment this week because I got invited to a fancy work dinner for women. Like the dinner plate is more money than I make in a week, so I feel obligated to go. I’m a bit annoyed at my dental office who has seemed to shifted their appointments reminders to some outside company. I received an email over a week ago as a reminder and there was a form to reschedule. So I did. Never heard anything back. I got a text over the weekend to type C to confirm. Then, I got a reminder call from the service today. It felt very impersonal and it’s disappointing. So I had to just call them, which I guess is a lot of progress, considering I couldn’t even think about doing that months ago. Thankfully, I got a person at the office and was able to reschedule for the end of the month. I’m not super nervous but it is nice that it is a little postponed. ??‍

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Thisisme

Glad you were able to get someone and get rescheduled

". I’m a bit annoyed at my dental office who has seemed to shifted their appointments reminders to some outside company. I received an email over a week ago as a reminder and there was a form to reschedule. So I did. Never heard anything back. I got a text over the weekend to type C to confirm. Then, I got a reminder call from the service today. It felt very impersonal and it’s disappointing. "

Yes, Ditto... same thing with my dental office.. they are going to a more automated system and texting.. the worst part about this is they have traded this also for the one day aftercalls to see how you are doing they send a text saying. "this is your dental office following up on your procedure, please let us know if you have any questions of concerns.."

SUPER disappointing. they used to always follow up the day after , and I always felt that was such a nice personal touch and that they cared.. This... does not feel like that.. I know he's an emergency dentist and gets busy but even if the front office staff called instead of some impersonal generic text..

ok.. off my rant.. it just doesn't feel caring at all .

 

[thisisme]

Thisisme

Glad you were able to get someone and get rescheduled

SUPER disappointing. they used to always follow up the day after , and I always felt that was such a nice personal touch and that they cared.. This... does not feel like that.. I know he's an emergency dentist and gets busy but even if the front office staff called instead of some impersonal generic text..

I’m glad I’m not alone. The personal factor is what drove me to that office, so who knows how I’ll feel now.

It seems like the world does not want me to go to the dentist. Bummer. COVID-19 has shut down my dental office and they called me today to reschedule. I didn’t answer. It makes me too nervous. Hopefully, I’ll answer next time they call.

 

[thisisme]

I have my six month (well, I guess it’s more like nine month appt. now) on Thursday. My big focus of the appointment is to find the nerve to speak up about the tooth that I can’t bite down on and I really hope he doesn’t find new cavities. I’m not looking forward to the new COVID process. As if I have enough anxiety... now it’s call when you get there, wait in your car, get your temperature taken, wear a mask walking in, etc. Ugh. And I hate cleanings. I know I’ve only had 1 in 18 years, haha, but I know enough to know I hate them. I don’t really have nerves about it... just more so a dread of having to deal with it all but know that whatever happens, I’ll come out fine.

 

[thisisme]

I had my second cleaning today since my return to dentistry! I’d say it was a six month cleaning but it was more like nine months because of COVID. I started to get more nerves as the week went on but I did go through with it. I had to call when I got there, do a temperature reading, and take a survey from my car.

The appointment wasn’t awful. They are nice there, so that helps. The hygienist remembered really important details about my life and things I told her from last time and asked how each one was (things about my friends, my neighbor, my house... I was actually really impressed). I even mentioned an anonymous friend I had on this forum nine months ago, and she asked how she was doing. I didn’t need X-rays or that “gum recession” test.... that will be in December. Ugggh. I also didn’t really like the use of manual tools. I forgot they have another one... I should have asked. I just don’t like the scrapping and picking sound. She said I kept my teeth very clean and to keep it up, but she did have to pick and scrap still. Maybe that’s normal? It didn’t really hurt. There were a few times it felt a bit sensitive, especially cleaning my wisdom tooth (as the gum is more tender there) but it wasn’t pain pain. She said I especially kept that one clean, which is hard to do, but I know that if I don’t want it out, I have to vigorously clean it, haha.

I saw the dentist maybe for a total of 2 minutes. I was afraid so I don’t even remember looking at him. I acknowledged his presence and then closed my eyes. I like that he doesn’t jab at my teeth but just runs a tool over them. It’s much better than I remember from my childhood... which was a jab in each tooth to see if it stuck. Ugh.

Good news: No news cavities!
Bad news: I made an appointment (June 16) to refill that tooth that has been giving me issues since he filled it. He‘ll be doing it for free, and I felt like it was speak now or just live with it, and I really hate living with it. I hope a redo filling helps. But besides that, I did it guys!

 

[NETWizz]

Everything is going to go great you hang in there, okay. I went on Monday to have two cavities filled, and I am relieved it is over. I get stressed out too. I especially hate going if I don’t have a problem I can feel.

They had the COVID precautions here, too, and I am a paranoid germ phone as much as a dental phone. In fact, I bought Virex II/256 and mix up my own sanitizing spray and go crazy with it to the point I get the mail with gloves and spray the packages down on a table in the garage... then open them and spray the contents packaging... then the product!

I can tell you from experience it can sometimes take a few months for the for a crazy filling to completely settle, but they are better now than they used to be being the products they use can mitigate sensitivity. Either way when it does happen it is mild but goes away after a week or two. I once had a filling that took 12 to 18 months to fully settle, and it is still fine to this day 8 years later.

The irony it is one of the smallest ones, so I don’t know why it acted up.

Please let us know how it goes.

 

[thisisme]

The irony it is one of the smallest ones, so I don’t know why it acted up.

Please let us know how it goes.

Mine is small too! It is being so stubborn. I figured I’d ask now for an refill since it’s been eight months and I knew if I waited until next appointment, he wouldn’t refill it for free. I hope it’s simple and then it’s done and I can bite down on it again! I definitely feel it didn’t seal properly at this point because I have to bite down directly on the filling. Not anywhere on the tooth but in the filling and sharp pain. So hoping for the best! Thanks for your words of encouragement!

 

[NETWizz]

Mine is small too! It is being so stubborn. I figured I’d ask now for an refill since it’s been eight months and I knew if I waited until next appointment, he wouldn’t refill it for free. I hope it’s simple and then it’s done and I can bite down on it again! I definitely feel it didn’t seal properly at this point because I have to bite down directly on the filling. Not anywhere on the tooth but in the filling and sharp pain. So hoping for the best! Thanks for your words of encouragement!

That sounds like a fairly good diagnosis to me though I am only a frequent-flyer patient. Size doesn’t matter if fillings go down into dentin. I think smaller ones are more likely to move and therefore cause pain maybe.

I want to share a similar story with a great outcome to lift your spirits...

I had something very similar on both tooth 14 and 15, which are my left most back upper molars (my wisdom teeth were all extracted). Number 14 would give me a sharp jolt particularly when I ate certain foods even more so if it was cold and crunchy.

A salad, refrigerated apple, or pickle for example was the worst when it would seem to find that one spot that jolted me...

After having the filling #14 replaced, the problem was completely gone, but after living with it so long, I had to retrain my brain that it was okay to eat back there again. I probably lived with it five or six months before going, am sure glad I did.

That tooth also quit feeling funny and the intermittent mild toothaches were gone too. All was good but flossing between 14 and 15 hurt like a decayed tooth pain particularly in floss removal.

Then a month later I started having similar mild toothaches that felt like they were from the same tooth, but if I water picked between the two teeth I would get a jolt, yet I knew there was no filling or decay on the side of 14 that faces 15.

My dentist made sure the filling was tight and after trying for a solid handful of minutes could finally reproduce the pain and suddenly she acknowledged #15 has gone bad and needed a replacement.

Filling it was was far easier on me than diagnosing it or the cleaning because that tooth was super sensitive to cold and it would linger.

As soon as it was numb it immediately felt better and hasn’t hurt again, and it was easy one and done zero pain numbing. Afterwards, the tooth just felt normal not one twinge that had me panicked loosing sleep thinking about root canals and all these horrible worst case scenarios...

What happened is everything turned out wonderful, and it is so nice to have zero pain once again after living with it for a while. Over time even mild pain hurts the quality of life, and dentists for me have provided so much relief. I can now even eat sweet foods everywhere in my mouth without any sensitivity where before I had to brush it off for pain relief.


You hang in there and think happy thoughts because this is going to get better and everything will be fine soon. Then perhaps you can enjoy the next 10 years troublefree.

 

[thisisme]

I just had a realization. I am adult who goes to the dentist now. I even scheduled an appointment with a primary care provider in September. I’m taking back my health and I feel so adult.

That sounds like a fairly good diagnosis to me though I am only a frequent-flyer patient. Size doesn’t matter if fillings go down into dentin. I think smaller ones are more likely to move and therefore cause pain maybe.

I want to share a similar story with a great outcome to lift your spirits...

I had something very similar on both tooth 14 and 15, which are my left most back upper molars (my wisdom teeth were all extracted). Number 14 would give me a sharp jolt particularly when I ate certain foods even more so if it was cold and crunchy.

A salad, refrigerated apple, or pickle for example was the worst when it would seem to find that one spot that jolted me...

After having the filling #14 replaced, the problem was completely gone, but after living with it so long, I had to retrain my brain that it was okay to eat back there again. I probably lived with it five or six months before going, am sure glad I did.

That tooth also quit feeling funny and the intermittent mild toothaches were gone too. All was good but flossing between 14 and 15 hurt like a decayed tooth pain particularly in floss removal.

Then a month later I started having similar mild toothaches that felt like they were from the same tooth, but if I water picked between the two teeth I would get a jolt, yet I knew there was no filling or decay on the side of 14 that faces 15.

My dentist made sure the filling was tight and after trying for a solid handful of minutes could finally reproduce the pain and suddenly she acknowledged #15 has gone bad and needed a replacement.

Filling it was was far easier on me than diagnosing it or the cleaning because that tooth was super sensitive to cold and it would linger.

As soon as it was numb it immediately felt better and hasn’t hurt again, and it was easy one and done zero pain numbing. Afterwards, the tooth just felt normal not one twinge that had me panicked loosing sleep thinking about root canals and all these horrible worst case scenarios...

What happened is everything turned out wonderful, and it is so nice to have zero pain once again after living with it for a while. Over time even mild pain hurts the quality of life, and dentists for me have provided so much relief. I can now even eat sweet foods everywhere in my mouth without any sensitivity where before I had to brush it off for pain relief.


You hang in there and think happy thoughts because this is going to get better and everything will be fine soon. Then perhaps you can enjoy the next 10 years troublefree.

This is such a crazy story and mine are next to each other on the bottom! Filled at the same time. Last two teeth excluding wisdom tooth. And.... sometimes I think the furthest tooth also hurts if I hit it just right but during the bite test it was fine, so I just want to focus on the troubling tooth now. The second to last one. Thank you for your support! I understand what you say about learning to chew on that side again. I’ve been avoiding mine for almost eight months now. I’m just glad he’s refilling it for free and I have no new cavities. I almost feel like a normal dentist patient now... almost...the last visit helped to create new positive memories that help wash out those childhood memories.

 

[NETWizz]

I just had a realization. I am adult who goes to the dentist now. I even scheduled an appointment with a primary care provider in September. I’m taking back my health and I feel so adult.


This is such a crazy story and mine are next to each other on the bottom! Filled at the same time. Last two teeth excluding wisdom tooth. And.... sometimes I think the furthest tooth also hurts if I hit it just right but during the bite test it was fine, so I just want to focus on the troubling tooth now. The second to last one. Thank you for your support! I understand what you say about learning to chew on that side again. I’ve been avoiding mine for almost eight months now. I’m just glad he’s refilling it for free and I have no new cavities. I almost feel like a normal dentist patient now... almost...the last visit helped to create new positive memories that help wash out those childhood memories.

You are definitely adulting taking charge of yourself and your health doing things you don’t want to do are even fearful of doing for the long-term betterment of your health and quality of life. I am proud of you! Honestly, with good experiences, adulting gets easier each time you do it, and one day you will sit in that chair and not feel your hear pounding with anxiety. You will feel calm and ready.


I think it will be another positive visit.

One of the things you can do to help your dentist is is look at a tooth numbering chart to describe where it hurts. It is also great to know the surfaces for example distal is the back side of a tooth where mesial is the front facing. For example, the distal of 13 is in the same inter proximal space as mesial of 14 when you floss between 13 and 14.

If you floss between the two such as in my case I flossed between 14 and 15 and got pain, yet I had an existing 14 MO and 15 MO filling meaning I had no filling on 14 that could be caught by the floss when flossing between 14 and 15. If I pulled forward with the floss when removing it toward 14 much less pain than removing the floss pushing backwards riding it up and off 15.

If you can describe where something hurts and how to reproduce the pain, the diagnosis and troubleshooting pre-repair can go smoother and quicker... Once the dentist knows where it hurts, he or she can then go about making a painless repair.

You will go home with the positive experience that he or she is like the God of teeth in that it is like a brand new tooth that doesn’t hurt anymore let alone even get achy when you jump in a pool.

 

[thisisme]

One of the things I forgot to mention is I was worried about what they would say about me still having my wisdom teeth, especially the one peeking out. I thought for sure they would be upset or at the very least encourage me to get a consult but there wasn’t that. As a matter of fact, I was so nervous about it, so I brought it up. The hygienist said “oh that’s okay, as long as it isn’t bothering you.” I really need to just make sure that tooth never decays... at least until I’m brave enough for a consult.

 

[NETWizz]

One of the things I forgot to mention is I was worried about what they would say about me still having my wisdom teeth, especially the one peeking out. I thought for sure they would be upset or at the very least encourage me to get a consult but there wasn’t that. As a matter of fact, I was so nervous about it, so I brought it up. The hygienist said “oh that’s okay, as long as it isn’t bothering you.” I really need to just make sure that tooth never decays... at least until I’m brave enough for a consult.

They don’t judge something like that trust me they have seen worse by far. You at least brush your teeth and they appreciate thst.

 

[thisisme]

I found the orthodontist office I want to make a braces consult. I’ve read reviews, looked at the office pictures, and read they offer lingual braces, which is rare in my area. I went as far as to look at appointments online and it lets you pick a day/time online (maybe they call to change it but at least you can kinda do it online). This is the farthest I’ve gotten. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but I’m really starting to feel like I can do a consult.

I want this so bad. It would change my life. I mean, going back to the dentist has also been amazing, but this is that final step. The more I think about it, wanting and having braces is so normal. The site said over 40% of orthodontic patients are adults. It’s not that crazy. I hope I can be brave and fill out that appointment form this week. I really want this.

 

[NETWizz]

I found the orthodontist office I want to make a braces consult. I’ve read reviews, looked at the office pictures, and read they offer lingual braces, which is rare in my area. I went as far as to look at appointments online and it lets you pick a day/time online (maybe they call to change it but at least you can kinda do it online). This is the farthest I’ve gotten. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but I’m really starting to feel like I can do a consult.

I want this so bad. It would change my life. I mean, going back to the dentist has also been amazing, but this is that final step. The more I think about it, wanting and having braces is so normal. The site said over 40% of orthodontic patients are adults. It’s not that crazy. I hope I can be brave and fill out that appointment form this week. I really want this.

I went to an orthodontist as a child, and it was cake. Honestly, it is nothing like any of the procedures you have already been through. There is nothing they do that is even remotely painful nor scary.

No drills; no numbing... it will go great! On a scale of 1 to 10 if going to a regular dentist is a 9 for you in anxiety and stress, going to the orthodontist will be like a 3 or 4.

It is like every visit being no more invasive than a dental cleaning on teeth that are not sensitive... oh, and there is no fear of getting bad news (i.e, they aren’t going to to show you an X-Ray and tell you it is time for the needles and drill).

I think you may actually Grow to like going to the orthodontist in time.

 

[thisisme]

I went to an orthodontist as a child, and it was cake. Honestly, it is nothing like any of the procedures you have already been through. There is nothing they do that is even remotely painful nor scary.

No drills; no numbing... it will go great! On a scale of 1 to 10 if going to a regular dentist is a 9 for you in anxiety and stress, going to the orthodontist will be like a 3 or 4.

It is like every visit being no more invasive than a dental cleaning on teeth that are not sensitive... oh, and there is no fear of getting bad news (i.e, they aren’t going to to show you an X-Ray and tell you it is time for the needles and drill).

I think you may actually Grow to like going to the orthodontist in time.

This gives me so much hope, though I don’t really like cleanings, haha. My big fear is being forced to see pictures of my teeth or being told how misaligned/horrible they are. My current dentist has never even mentioned it. He did say my bite is off, so it’s more challenging to check a bite after a filling but besides that. I always thought for sure it would be one of the first things they say to me but never. I can deal with technical terms (overbite, crossbite, overcrowding or whatever) but I don’t like the phrases like “fix your teeth” or “very crooked.” They make me feel really uncomfortable because my teeth are healthy and I want to align my teeth and correct my bite. Nothing is broken. My teeth are not broken.

I have seen how much teeth can align in just 3-4 months. Obviously not all the way but huge improvements. If I am able to get lingual braces on the top, I could be semi smiling by Christmas! Gosh, I really really want this. I told myself submit the appointment request tomorrow morning so I can sleep tonight without thinking what the heck I’ve done.

 

[NETWizz]

Sounds Good. Be sure to discuss this with your orthodontist or print out that above post for the staff to read before you go into the appointment.

Let them know that you want only to know about how long it will take or how your progress is going, but you do not want the specifics.

As for braces, typically slower is often times better in that it is more comfortable to move teeth slowly. The one thing I did notice was every-time my braces were tightened, my teeth were slightly sore the next day or two, but again it was very mild and soon everything got to filling good in a couple of days.

It should be very comfortable quite honestly. I certainly did not experience any bad memories at all associated with the orthodontist as a child in the second grade!

 

[frostgirl]

Like NETWizz said, I think it would be completely normal to only talk about how long it would take or how your progress is going.

Let us know if you do make an appointment request, we're rooting for you

 

[thisisme]

Frostgirl and NETWizz, I love you in the least weird way possible. You make me feel like I can do it. And so, I did a very big thing... like a VERY big thing. I filled out the appointment request on their website. It still doesn’t feel real. I don’t know if that’s the official appointment or if they will call to follow up/modify it, but step one is complete.

I’m at the point where I’m upset about having the smile I do but scared about getting braces, and it’s a rock and a hard place... except when I’m sitting here being all miserable about my smile, I’m not moving forward. There is an end to this. There could be an end to this if I choose to move forward. I am so scared but I need to move forward. If I don’t like the consult, I try a different place.

Dental phobia is hard you guys, but I’m preaching to the choir.