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11-18-2011 , 03:39 AM

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

Help me overcome this (idiotic) fear. I need to go, but I've had some bad memories with my wisdom teeth, from the bottom sides (both), and I can't escape the feeling that sharp metal objects are being put in my mouth, while I can't do anything. What are your experiences regarding the matter, what are your advices on this, and how can I become friends with the dentist?

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11-18-2011 , 03:41 AM

dubekoms

journeyman

Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 251

Make sure they give you sunglasses.

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11-18-2011 , 03:46 AM

Golfing_Stud

4L Fantasy Football Champion '14

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 4,995

The Office - Dwight and the Dentist

Now be a big boy and go do it.

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11-18-2011 , 03:47 AM

Fear Itself

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 3,509

Quit being a pussy.

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11-18-2011 , 03:47 AM

Howard Beale

Formerly red

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 22,190

I've got my 5th root canal scheduled for next Wed, fml. BUT, it has to be done or I will eventually lose the tooth. I also had 4 wisdom teeth pulled years ago and in my experience that's as bad as it gets, dental work wise. Everything else can be unpleasant but nothing near as bad as that.

Console yourself w/ the knowledge that after a bit of discomfort from the novocaine injection you won't feel any pain, if you need it the dentist can give you pain pills, you need the work done to save yourself future pain and save your teeth and that dentists are very highly trained.

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11-18-2011 , 03:51 AM

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

Is it possible to have a general anesteshia? Always wondered why they don't do that and let you feel and see everything. Knocking you out, doing stuff inside your mouth, then wakeing you up, seems very logic to me.

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11-18-2011 , 03:56 AM

ganstaman

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 11,123

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumi25

Knocking you out is risky and not worthwhile for what they're doing in general.

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11-18-2011 , 04:09 AM

nham

34oz

Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 10,646

Is this a checkup/cleanup or are you having actual work done?

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11-18-2011 , 04:10 AM

Anarchist

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 75,871

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Originally Posted by dumi25

very expensive and small chance of death, obv not happening

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11-18-2011 , 04:15 AM

#10

Howard Beale

Formerly red

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 22,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anarchist

very expensive and small chance of death, obv not happening

This and the dentist often needs the patient's cooperation: 'Open wider, turn your head this way, rinse' etc, etc.

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11-18-2011 , 04:15 AM

#11

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

Quote:

Originally Posted by nham

Is this a checkup/cleanup or are you having actual work done?

Actual work

Scared like s**t.

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11-18-2011 , 04:17 AM

#12

Anarchist

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 75,871

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Beale

This and the dentist often needs the patient's cooperation: 'Open wider, turn your head this way, rinse' etc, etc.

this too

off the top of my head, the death rate with general anesthesia is like 1 in ten thousand, but that would freak people the **** out if they were going to a dentist where somebody died

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11-18-2011 , 04:20 AM

#13

ganstaman

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 11,123

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Beale

This and the dentist often needs the patient's cooperation: 'Open wider, turn your head this way, rinse' etc, etc.

If you were knocked out, they would likely just stick something in your mouth to keep it opened wide the whole time (sore jaw when you wake up). And they could move your head, obviously.

The breathing/rinsing issue is something I'm not so sure of.

Not that it's going to happen anyway (at least not routinely).

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11-18-2011 , 04:22 AM

#14

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

"... on a psychological level, it’s far easier to endure self-inflicted pain than pain which is perceived to be inflicted on you by someone else ..."

This sums up my fear. I'm afraid and that's it. I can't find one good reason enough to let some guy/girl work their way into my mouth with sharp metal objects, drilling, pulling, digging, cutting and so on.

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11-18-2011 , 04:32 AM

#15

Howard Beale

Formerly red

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 22,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumi25

You are not alone, if that's any consolation. There are many people that are so afraid of going to the dentist that they let their teeth rot rather then go. Of course, since you don't want that, there's your good reason to go.

Ask the dentist if he has gas available. That will make it better. If not just suffer your way through it, maybe tell the dentist that if you tap him to give you a minute breather or something.

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11-18-2011 , 04:36 AM

#16

derosnec

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,294

ask your dentist to prescribe you Ativan or Xanex. s/he will understand and probably has written prescriptions before for anxious patients.

btw,what work is being done on you? if it's a filling, they're pretty quick - numb you up, drill for a few minutes, then stick some filling in there. don't be shy about making asking dentist to make sure you are numb. countless times i haven't been numbed up enough. for some reason it takes many shots for me.

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11-18-2011 , 04:37 AM

#17

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

How about the gadget that wipes off the cavities? Not sure how it's called in english, maybe "drill"? The sound is unbearable imo. And it probably hurts like hell.

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11-18-2011 , 04:41 AM

#18

derosnec

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 14,294

hurts like hell?

there is no pain. they numb you up.

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11-18-2011 , 04:43 AM

#19

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

Yeah, needles before that gadget, perfect

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11-18-2011 , 04:47 AM

#20

Howard Beale

Formerly red

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 22,190

I found some useful tips:

http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/fears/drill/

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11-18-2011 , 04:49 AM

#21

Howard Beale

Formerly red

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 22,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumi25

Yeah, needles before that gadget, perfect

The dentist will likely numb the needle insertion point first w/ a long Q-tip soaked in novocaine.

By now we are all expecting a TR so don't forget.

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11-18-2011 , 04:50 AM

#22

dumi25

centurion

Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 158

So it is a drill after all.

Other fact, how do some people have root canal jobs done without blinking an eye? As I've heard, those jobs mean pain.

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11-18-2011 , 04:53 AM

#23

ktcbs21

banned

Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,057

I never understood being afraid of the dentist.. I almost find it relaxing... I mean I get to take off work, recline back and let people clean my teeth. Sometimes I even get a little numbed up to make my day a little more exciting. Quit over thinking it OP. And, yes, I have had a root canal and fililngs done before and it's hardly a big deal.

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11-18-2011 , 05:02 AM

#24

Gonzirra

hold on brb

Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 20,193

Can't say I enjoy it but a good teeth cleaning is worth the discomfort. Other than that I just had my wisdom teeth taken out. But one at a time, which got me 4 days off.

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11-18-2011 , 05:05 AM

#25

Howard Beale

Formerly red

Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 22,190

Quote:

Originally Posted by dumi25

So it is a drill after all.

Other fact, how do some people have root canal jobs done without blinking an eye? As I've heard, those jobs mean pain.

As I said I'm going for my 5th root canal next week. There is no pain during the procedure. There are some dentists that try to talk their patients into letting them do it (don't ever agree to that) but I insist on a specialist. The major problem with root canals is that they take so long, it requires the dentist to get his hand into your mouth for long periods while he files the roots clean, it takes a couple of visits.

It also cost $1K and another $800 for the crown that your reg dentist has to fit you with.

FML. But I'm not scared at all.

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