Sedation for having your teeth out? (Dentist Phobia)

blue_monkey_2 · 16 January 2009 at 2:19PM

** I've edited the title as I've found out I can be sedated for tooth extraction and I do not need the GA as I thought I might, I am opting to be sedated by injection now **

Having read the other thread it is not just about finding the right dentist for me and it will all be OK, sorry but it will not!! I need to set my mind at rest before I even go to the dentist so I thought I would ask here.

Someone told me they had their teeth out under GA, can a dentist surgery do this or did they mean at hospital? It was a fleeting conversation but I have been thinking about it ever since. Why don't they use gas anymore to knock you out? What does sedation do?

I had a tooth out 10 years ago and it took 55 minutes - this was with the dentist sweating over me and with her knee on the chair. I've 2 to come out (same tooth but at the top on each side) and I cannot face the injections and having that much pulling again. Not even the nicest dentist is going to make an extraction any better!! The other option is capping the tooth but I've no room for my wisdom teeth to come through and last time it was recommended that taking the damaged tooth out the wisdom tooth would be able to come through and push the other back molar forward and there would be virtually no gap - and this has happened, so it would happen with the teeth above. I think I'd rather have the good teeth than damaged capped teeth - but I know that I've got to have 2 extractions and the thought is killing me. Will they do them on the same day? Or can they refer me to the hospital to have them done?

No, I've not been to the dentist about it yet. My last dentist refused to either cap or extract due to 'lack of funds' so I've put it off, and off, and off.... but I know I am delaying the inevitable. I am not in pain BUT the teeth will just keep on breaking and I keep on saying 'I've no time' but I know they need doing and I need to prepare myself for this mentally. I want to be prepapred with my options and feeling in control of the situation and I know there are osme of you that do not understand dentist phobia but I just want to know my options.

Ideally I'd rather just got to sleep, sedation would not do that would it? Do NHS dentists sedate or just private ones? And I am then assuming that I cannot drive back home so hubby would have to have the day off. Can I pay to be put to sleep to have it done?

Ooh, I feel ill thinking about it. I am not asking to set my mind at rest as it will not but I've got to prepare myself for this and if I know my options I can discuss this with my dentist. Thank you.

kitschkitty · 16 January 2009 at 2:48PM

You can be referred to either a local practice that will do it or the local hospital.

Last year my OH had to have 12 teeth out in one go at the hospital!

coldstreamalways · 16 January 2009 at 3:05PM

I don't know any dentists who will do GA in practice. Why don't you try going to the dentist and asking?

I have to wonder at having her knee on the chair, if I had a penny for every patient who has said "oh yes, she had her foot on my chest" I would be retiring this year.

I have taken out almost fifty teeth this month, the more difficult ones I sit down for. I'd be interested to hear toothsmith's or TND's techniques! I'd show my bum in woolies window if they involved feet on chairs!

Toothsmith · 16 January 2009 at 3:12PM

It's normally hospitals or occasionally health centres now.

There are a lot of very strict regulations about the critical care facilities that need to be available.

We have the crazy situaton where some private hospitals that do things like kidney transplants would not be considered suitable for taking out teeth under GA!!

elisebutt65 · 16 January 2009 at 3:36PM

I had to be referred to the local hospital to get mine extracted under GA - just ask your dentist

Belnahua · 16 January 2009 at 3:39PM

I asked this and was told that they can give you a gas, this is supposed to make you not care about what's going on.

Me, not convinced. I dread the day when I might need a tooth out. Although I have had a GA that was for my wisdom teeth many years ago.

lolarentt · 16 January 2009 at 3:41PM

I know an excellent practice which would suit you if you are in Hertfordshire. They were recommended by my dentist when I had to have an extraction and I have used them twice now. Absolute bliss - you need an afternoon off as you feel a bit spaced afterwards, and someone to drive you home, but as regards having a tooth out....."well why haven't you done it?" "I have , and 2 or 3 fillings at the same time".... Fantastic!!

blue_monkey_2 · 16 January 2009 at 3:42PM

I have to wonder at having her knee on the chair, if I had a penny for every patient who has said "oh yes, she had her foot on my chest" I would be retiring this year.

She had her knee on the arm of the chair and her foot on the actual chair to pull my damn tooth out as it would not come out. Thank you. It was a good job you was there to clarify that I was lying about it. Good for you on being such a great dentist!! However, mine clearly was not and I am not prepapred to undergo 2 hours of teeth pulling if the same thing happens. I'd rather be out of it so they can butcher me quicker if that is the truth.

What reason I have for lying about that for heavens sake? To boast?!!!! Once you are in that chair and the work has started it's not like you can say 'actually, you know what, it's been longer than 5 minutes that you said' and get out and leave, you are in there for as long as it takes. I was quite happy to have my tooth out the first time with her - had it been ';quicker and easier' than a root canal do you think I would be posting this??

Once I speak to the dentist it will mean making an appointment to have the work done and I need to prepare myself. If you are great at the dentist then good for you, I am not, I need to prepare myself for it.

Thanks to those that answered my question, I never thought about the critical care side was just thinking it would be better to get the teeth out - but I will enquire to it being done in hospital instead as I know I cannot go onlike that forever and if it takes a long time and is hard to pull I do not know if I can face that.

blue_monkey_2 · 16 January 2009 at 3:44PM

lolarentt wrote: »

I know an excellent practice which would suit you if you are in Hertfordshire. They were recommended by my dentist when I had to have an extraction and I have used them twice now. Absolute bliss - you need an afternoon off as you feel a bit spaced afterwards, and someone to drive you home, but as regards having a tooth out....."well why haven't you done it?" "I have , and 2 or 3 fillings at the same time".... Fantastic!!

PLEASE, yes. Thank you so much for understanding. Could you let me know. I'll have to get hubby to get the day off work incase I cannot manage the kids if they knock me out. I look forward to hearing from you. Do you just call them or do you have to be reffered?

frames1_uk · 16 January 2009 at 3:46PM

lolarentt wrote: »

I know an excellent practice which would suit you if you are in Hertfordshire. They were recommended by my dentist when I had to have an extraction and I have used them twice now. Absolute bliss - you need an afternoon off as you feel a bit spaced afterwards, and someone to drive you home, but as regards having a tooth out....."well why haven't you done it?" "I have , and 2 or 3 fillings at the same time".... Fantastic!!

sounds like the place I was sent to in Crewe for an extraction, I called it the 'scaredy clinic', cos I felt rather pathetic having to be referred there by my dentist in Cheshire. I just couldn't cope with the thought of tooth extraction in the dentists chair, he didn't hesitate to refer me. I had intravenous sedation and it was amazing, I only wish I could have that for all dental treatment. I live in a different area now.

Does anyone know what the criteria is for being referred for sedation for treatment. I'm talking about NHS here, because it takes away all the fear of dental treatment (for me anyway)

lolarentt · 16 January 2009 at 3:46PM

blue_monkey wrote: »

PLEASE, yes. Thank you so much for understanding. Could you let me know. I'll have to get hubby to get the day off work incase I cannot manage the kids if they knock me out. I look forward to hearing from you. Do you just call them or do you have to be reffered?

I'll send you details in a PM (if I can remember how to do it!)
First time I went I had root canal work and later capped (AAGH, makes me squirm even thinking about it!) and it was just as if I'd nodded off - we went to a concert that evening! I was just given the name and phone number by my dentist. there was no refferal as such, and since then I've just called direct when necessary. It's not NHS though, you have to pay

Sedation for having your teeth out? (Dentist Phobia)

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