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I don't want to get into a 'my teeth are worse than yours' thing but there is no way yours will be anywhere near the worst your dentist has seen. I myself took 20 years to get up the courage to show my teeth to my dentist by which time I had 12 teeth that had no top part at all. They all had crowns originally (the bad fitting of which was a major cause of my phobia), all of them had fallen/broken off over the years and the remaining teeth rotted away.
I'm having all 12 roots plus 2 other bad teeth removed under IV sedation on the 26th and lovely new shiny partial dentures fitted in their place.
It takes a lot of courage to show someone your mouth when you're ashamed of it, but the relief when you do is overwhelming.
I am terrified about my treatment but I just keep in mind how wonderful it's going to be to be able to eat and smile again.
You can do this, especially with the fantastic support that is available on here.
Thanks DZ. I am really trying to concentrate on the end result. I apologize for sounding like such a wimp. But I am exceedingly proud of you. Wow what a success story. Thank you so much for your support. This site has been a great benefit and the people I have met have been amazing. Know that you have my complete support and prayers. I am going to try to imagine all of y'all in that room with me...cheering me on. It couldn't hurt. Marty
Ok here it goes...but it ain't going to be a purdy picture. I have two front teeth that are almost completely gone. The offending tooth is a bottom molar that broke about a year ago and has this huge cavity in it. A wisdom tooth on the other side that came up about 1/3 through the gum and is literally rotting. Two teeth on each side at the top that have large cavities and three other front teeth that have cavities working on the teeth. Some other minor cavities that may be starting but are probably candidates for fillings. And there are some teeth that are actually still in purdy good shape. So there ya go.
Just as I thought. Marty, I swear to you...your teeth are FAR from the worst that the dentist has seen! They see this on a daily basis. You have nothing to be ashamed of because you are doing something about it!! For that you should be proud and not ashamed.
Peace,
Susan
The thought of the sentist is enough to make me cry and have a panic attack. My dad made an appointment check up, and that was enough to make me have a panci attack. Now I have to go to have a tooth pulled and I don't know what to do. I hope things work out for you though.
I know just how you feel. I am right there today. I was doing sooooo well. Actually feeling a tad confident. Now my consultation is tomorrow and my panic is on the run. The doc's office called me yesterday to remind me of my appt. I told them I didn't need a reminder because it was about the only thing I was thinking about. I keep telling myself that I have to do this...and that I can do this...but the spirit is weak, and scared. When I made the appt., Wednesday (high noon) seemed far away....but wow did it get here fast. Why can't the things we want to happen come this quickly. At this point I am just praying that I won't chicken out and somehow get there and get through the consultation. At least at that point I will know where I stand and what actually needs to be done and what it will require. But then again maybe ignorance is bliss. Dadgum this sucks. I thought if I just resigned myself to the fact that I had no choice the panic would take a back seat. NOT!!! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
Well, here I am two hours before my appt. and I am having a major meltdown. Panic and a whole bucket full of tears. I didn't get any sleep last night and the dreams were...well ....not from Disney. I don't know how I am going to get through this...or if I am going to get through it. I keep telling myself it is just x-rays and a consultation, but that rationale is not helping right now. I am soooooooo trying to keep a postive attitude, but the panic just keeps raising it's medusa head. Hubby took the day off and is trying to be as supportive as possible...but poor guy, it doesn't know how to help. He is not one lick afraid of the dentist, so it is hard for him to understand. And thank God, he doesn't have panic disorder so he can only relate to that on a minor scale. I guess at this point I am just praying that God is going to give the strength to go through with this...plus a sound mind, a clear head and a calm body. That isn't too much to ask...is it?
Hey Marty , I think that "a sound mind, a clear head and a calm body" IS too much to ask for in this situation - it's entirely naturally that you're panicking, anyone would (I know I did before my first appointment ) - regardless of whether they have panic disorder or not (dental phobia is a great leveller that way ). But you know what - you CAN do it DESPITE the fear and panic. And no empathetic person will judge you when you do panic.
Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that they are only going to talk to you and that you have control over everything, including the x-rays!! I am a gagger and I was petrified of the x-rays but they took it super slow and let me hold them in my mouth. I understand how you feel, I cried in the car for the whole trip on my first visit and my husband kept saying, "you are going to be fine." After it was all said and done I felt so much relief and realized that I worked myself up for no reason.
You ARE GOING TO FINE!!!!!! You can do this and you will be on after it's all said and done. I've got to get back to work..ugh, but I'll be thinking about you!
You may not yet know how you're going to get through it Marty, but we all here know that you definitely will get through it, and magnificently at that. Clear head, sound mind, calm body. Well at this particular moment in time with less than 2 hours now to go I should imagine, no clear head, no calm body, but definitely sound mind, so 1 out of 3 isn't bad and will carry you through. Best of luck - I'm sure you won't need it and look forward to hearing how it all went when you feel able to post again.
I guess the good news is that I did not chicken out of the appointment. It was beyond tough. My panic was running rampant and my emotions turned right to tears. By the time I got home I was completely exhausted and spent the bulk of the afternoon sleeping.
How odd it is to be standing at an x-ray machine with mirror in front of you and watching the tears running down your face as the machine twirls around you. The waiting time was over an hour....which was very tough. But we told the receptionist that we were going to wait outside, and luckily it was a warm sunny day. That helped a little bit, but as the time went on and on...any confidence I may have built up from just getting there started to melt away. When they finally called us in I was a nervous wreck and then they told me my husband could not come back with me while I had the x-rays. Up went the panic again.
The surgical nurse was very nice and very sympathetic..and that helped some. Then she told me we were doing this backwards and I should see a general dentist first and then come to them. That sent my panic flying. I thought, dadgum, it was so hard to get here, and it was for nothing, not to mention it cost $100.00. But she said she would talk to the doctor and we would see where we go from here. She explained that the doctor did not hear well so I needed to speak up and clearly. She left and went into his office, which was right next to the room we were in. Because she had to speak loudly, I could hear her telling him everything about me. That kinda wierded me out...it was discomforting to hear all your fears...and a bit of your life story being told by one person to another.
Then the doctor came in. I have to admit he was wonderful. He was very sympathetic, very comforting, had a wonderful sense of humor, even though sometimes it was difficult concentrating on everything he said. I was expecting him to say something like, you need to go somewhere else and then come back, but he didn't. He said that he could remove what they call the offending tooth and explained how they would do it. Because I have an impacted wisdom tooth, I asked if he would remove it at the same time. He said he could if I wanted him to, if I didn't he would leave it. He said that the x-ray did not show any abcess on the wisdom tooth and it could probably wait. I made it clear that I did not want to come back for another surgery at another time, and if I had to go through this, I guess I would prefer that he does both at the same time.
Unlike so many doctors I have seen in the past, he did not give me a sales pitch...he said that the one tooth needed to come out, I could do it whenever I wanted to and that he would do what I wanted. I told him what I wanted is for the tooth to just fall out and then I could go home and go on with my life, but it did not seem like that was going to become a reality. Sooooooooooo, I now have appointment for Friday morning at 7:00 AM to have surgery. Wow, as I typed that sentence the panic just went way up. They chose 7:00 AM so that I would be the first patient on the list and would not have to wait at all. I guess that is a good thing, though typically mornings are harder for people with Panic Disorder. He did say that my husband could stay in the room until I was "under." That made me feel a bit better. They are going to use valium to put me out and if needed Propofol. I am a bit nervous about being given a drug (Propofol) I have never had, because I am allergic to so many medications. But they said it was very short acting in the blood stream and that they would only use it if I seemed to be having a problem. I was relieved that they were not going to use Fentanyl as well. The nurse initially said that they would use all three meds and that freaked me out. I told them that I was very afraid of being sedated and they said they understood that. The doctor said that people that didn't have panic disorder were afraid of sedation. (that didn't make me feel any better, but maybe a little less crazy).
The surgical nurse assured me that they monitor very closely. They monitor blood pressure, breathing and heart rate, every 10 minutes during surgery, that should I have a reaction for any reason to valium they have a medication that reverses the effects of the valium very quickly. They were both great. But I am still scared to death of the surgery. But as terrified as I am, part of me wants to get this over with and move on. He said I will still have some issues with my teeth, but that I can take the time to find a dentist that is right for me and that he didn't see anything that was an emergency. I know that tomorrow is going to be tough. I will try my best to keep busy and try to keep my mind off of it. I am just praying that Friday morning I will be more in control than I was today. My hubby kept saying how proud he was of me...and I just kept thinking...are you kidding me? My panic was off the scale, I was crying like a dadgum 3 year old and shaking like a leaf. I am trying to pat myself on the back for getting through it, and maybe that will come after the surgery. But right now all I am feeling is the next thing that is looming before me. I think I need to focus on the fact that when this is all over and I have healed, that there is thick steak waiting for me out there. I can't tell y'all how much I appreciate this site, the people here and the support I have received. I just pray that I will be able to write that I did go for the surgery and it was success. This one is a big whole hawking hurdle, I hope I have the energy to clear it.
You have every reason to give yourself that very big pat on the back for getting through your appointment. I must say, the more I read about these types of x-rays, I just can't wait for mine in a week or so, but mirror? I don't particularly want to see myself. Anyhow, well done for yesterday and we shall all be thinking of you tomorrow, 7 am. I can just imagine how you must be feeling at this very moment, and indeed how you will be feeling right up to that moment you walk back into the dentist room. But you have been strong so far and despite the tears, the possible panics you do have inner strength and you will get through it. It iswonderful that they will let your hubby go with you until you are 'under'. This really is a comfort, they allowed me the same, and in my case, my sister, she kept chatting to me as we always do and quite honestly didn't really notice the needle going in or much except that all of a sudden the room was spinning - in a nice way - and I was out for the count and then seemingly seconds later, it was all over.
I am sure it will be more or less the same for you. So, I do hope you have a fairly relaxed day, just try to occupy yourself with lots of nice thoughts, other than dental related things though I know that's nigh on impossible, and just remember, we shall all be with you - in spirit - every second of the way.
Well it is the day before surgery and I am a mess. I am trying to keep busy and sometimes I actually forget about tomorrow. But then the thought enters my mind and the sea of panic rolls in. The doubts ones mind can manufacture are amazing, is this really a good doc, how do I know he is good, is the sedation really safe, and how I am going to get there in the first place? I keep trying to tell myself I got through yesterday and I was there over two hours...and this time I will be asleep. I wish it was Saturday : ) and it was all over. What a conundrum....afraid to be awake and afraid of sedation. Shoooot Fire. I keep fighting back the tears and hubby says to quit fighting and let them go...that they are a release and cleanse the soul. I just feel like a 3 yr old when I sobbing over this.
As far as the mirror on the x-ray machine. The machine shows two lines on your face (I think like a laser level) The technician tells you that the lines need to be straight on your nose going up and down and across and you adjust your head until you achieve that. Though it was not fun...it sure beat the heck out of the old style where you had to put those films in your mouth and bite down on them. The only thing you do is lean forward and bite down on a piece of plastic (in the center of your mouth) and hold it until the machine stops twirling. The plastic you bite on is very short so there is no concern over gagging.
It is going to be a long day. I think it might have been better if they had said they would do it today and then I wouldn't have had a day to worry and work on that old anticipatory fear. Then I dreamed last night that they were getting ready to administer the anesthesia and I said, "wait, I thought I could do this, but I can't," and then I walked out. I am purdy sure I won't do that, and very sure that hubby would probably step in at that point. And so once again ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
Then I dreamed last night that they were getting ready to administer the anesthesia and I said, "wait, I thought I could do this, but I can't," and then I walked out.
Last night I dreamed that I suddenly realized that my mouth felt different, and I realized that I must have had my appointment already because my upper molar now had a crown that wasn't there before! And I was SO upset, because I realized that it was all over and I didn't remember anything about even having gone or anything. I was afraid I was losing my mind or something, lol. Then I woke up and realized that it HADN'T actually happened yet.
Despite how you're feeling now, just remember that it's only temporary. Before you know it, it really WILL be all over-- and you'll be patting yourself on the back for a job well done. And we'll be here to congratulate you!!
Marty,
You're going to do fine! I'll be having my 3rd appointment tomorrow morning and getting 4 extractions so I know how you're feeling. Try to understand that part of this awful phobia is our mind always thinking of the worse possible scenario. What you're having done is very simple and NOTHING will go wrong Just keep reminding yourself of this. Everytime you have a bad thought, replace it with a good one. Keep thinking about when it's over and how fabulous and relieved you'll feel. Please know I'll be praying for you tomorrow and I can't wait to hear how well it went when you're done! Now go and keep your mind occupied with happy thoughts
Peace,
Susan
Hi Marty, you did so very well to go in despite the one-hour wait - congratulations !!! It sounds like you have found a very compassionate and caring dentist . As he said, it's normal for anyone to be scared of sedation - you only need to read the posts on this forum to see that this is true. But you'll also see that the same posters who were dead scared of it say afterwards how well it went .
I hope you will be able to get the help you deserve tomorrow, despite the anxiety - and that there'll be a big yummy steak waiting for you at the other end .
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but there is no way yours will be anywhere near the worst your dentist has seen. I myself took 20 years to get up the courage to show my teeth to my dentist by which time I had 12 teeth that had no top part at all. They all had crowns originally (the bad fitting of which was a major cause of my phobia), all of them had fallen/broken off over the years and the remaining teeth rotted away.![[smiley=jumping.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/dfcsmilies/jumping.gif "Jumping [smiley=jumping.gif]")
Wow what a success story. Thank you so much for your support. This site has been a great benefit and the people I have met have been amazing. Know that you have my complete support and prayers. I am going to try to imagine all of y'all in that room with me...cheering me on. It couldn't hurt. ![[smiley=cheers.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/dfcsmilies/cheers.gif "Cheers [smiley=cheers.gif]")
![[smiley=sick.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/emojione/sick.png "Sick [smiley=sick.gif]")
). But you know what - you CAN do it DESPITE the fear and panic. And no empathetic person will judge you when you do panic.
![[smiley=cloud9.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/dfcsmilies/cloud9.gif "Cloud 9 [smiley=cloud9.gif]")
after it's all said and done. I've got to get back to work..ugh, but I'll be thinking about you! 
![[smiley=scared.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/dfcsmilies/scared.gif "Scared [smiley=scared.gif]")
!!! It sounds like you have found a very compassionate and caring dentist 
.