Sedation for having your teeth out? (Dentist Phobia)

lana22

No one in their right mind would allow themselves to be anaesthetised by a dentist in their local surgery (never mind the fact that it doesn't happen any more).

I had midazolam when I had my wisdom tooth out because I'm a wimp. But I would have run a mile from a GA unless it was by a qualified anaesthetist with proper access to a crash trolley!

becca2008

i was referred to a dental hospital to have a tooth removed under conscious sedation last year. i, like you, had left the tooth for years knowing that it needed to be sorted out. it had previously had a filling in it, but the filling fell out and i left it with a great big hole in it for almost 5 years. i don't really get tooth ache, and never had any pain with it, but last year, an abscess formed and even though i didn't have any realy pain (just a bit uncomfortable, really) it wasn't pleasant and i knew i had to get the tooth sorted because i was worried that it would start to rot the teeth next to it!

i was too scared to let my regular dentist do it, although i did pluck up the courage to go back and get it looked at and after explaining how nervous being at the dentists made me, she referred to have it taken out.

i don't remember anything about having the tooth out. i remember them giving me the injection in my hand and a white sheet being put completely over my head and face (this didn't happen, i'm sure - how would they have taken the tooth out if i had a sheet over my face? - but i remember it clearly!) and i remember someone taking the little plastic covers off my shoes afterwards... but that's about it.

my boyfriend drove me home and i certainly gave him a few laughs - i was very confused for the rest of the day. i couldn't focus my mind on anything for hours and it was really upsetting - my boyfriend had to remind me several times that i didnt need to think about anything and i didn't need to do anything, because i had this constant feeling that i'd forgotten to do something!

Shoe_Gal

Hi blue-monkey

I know exactly how you feel. I am phobic about the dentist, although I have never had a bad experience

A couple of years ago, after over a month of pain, taking 16 Nurofen a day I had to admit I could stand the pain no more and go to the dentist

I fainted when I went into the waiting room!, and was then sick when I came round - talk about making an entrance!! I had to be held down in the chair by my Mum and the dental nurse just so the dentist could look at my tooth. The dentist immediately declared me phobic and referred me for treatment under sedation

I was almost hysterical on the day and would only have the injection if they promised my Mum could stay (I'm 42 BTW!) I came round and didn't think they'd done anything - my Mum was there as promised and she assures me the treatment took just over an hour!

This was all done on the NHS. I was never made to feel stupid or that I was making a fuss about nothing

I have had several treatments since and they hold no fear. However, I still cannot face a normal check up and still have to be held down!

I hope it works out for you

belfastgirl23

Does anyone know if it costs any extra to be sedated etc etc. My dentist said lately that I might have to have a wisdom tooth out and my response was that she would need to give me a GA - they don't do it in-house so it would be a hospital job. But is it private or NHS? It isn't critical yet, just that apparently I have a small mouth (DH disagreed with this btw) and it's very awkward to put fillings into the wisdom teeth...

littlestar1981

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

Does anyone know if it costs any extra to be sedated etc etc. My dentist said lately that I might have to have a wisdom tooth out and my response was that she would need to give me a GA - they don't do it in-house so it would be a hospital job. But is it private or NHS? It isn't critical yet, just that apparently I have a small mouth (DH disagreed with this btw) and it's very awkward to put fillings into the wisdom teeth...

I was sedated for fillings, didnt go to hospital but to a 'dental anaestheic centre' and it just cost me an extra £16 as I'd effectively had two consultations, one at my dentist (costing £16) and one at the anaesthetic centre (costing £44 for the consultation and treatment).

This was NHS... when I enquired about private the sedation was £150ish per 30 mins and the fillings were £50ish each.

Mrs_pbradley936

I would think that unless it was medically indicated you would not be able to have GA at the hospital for your tooth. My son did but he needed oral surgery in addition to his tooth trouble.

Incidentally cosmetic surgery is so much cheaper and hence more common in the USA because they carry out most of it in a dentist like setting. Over here they do not have those facilities and you have to go into hospital operating theater and have a G.A.

Pennylane

A few years ago I needed a back tooth out under sedation and my dentist referred me to an anaesthetic centre. Their leaflet said that they specialised in nervous patients.

I was therefore looking forward to getting the tooth removed in a tranquil setting. The place looked grubby, the receptionist was very sharp and unwelcoming. She just said "you have to pay before you get your tooth taken out." (I realised afterwards that this was because I probably would not be well enough to do so afterwards, but she made no attempt to explain."

My DH waited in the waiting room and they fetched him and said they had put me in the recovery room and I should stay there for about half an hour and he should sit with me. After no more than 10 mins he says a member of staff came in and said "you can take her home now". I have no recollection of anything until hours afterwards. He helped me to the car, stood me against a wall while he turned to open car door & I was on a heap on the floor when he turned back. He manhandled me into the car and a 25 mile trip home I still didn't wake up.

I ended up with a very nasty infected socket which made me ill for weeks and the whole episode was a dreadful experience. I had to see an emergency dentist one day because of the infection and was seen by a dentist who was so gentle and caring that even though I was in agony from this infection, I didn't even know he was examining my mouth.

poorandindenial

A couple of years ago I was referred to a NHS Hospital from my private dentist to have my tooth out under general anaesthetic so it is possible to go across the divide.

Cazza

I've been sedated a number of times for dental work, I'm ok ish with dentists, but I have a "thing" about local anasthetics into my gum. Quite frankly, as far as I'm concerned as long as I don't know what is happening, I don't care how they knock me out and the sedation did the trick nicely for 6 extractions (2 of which were wisdom teeth) and 11 fillings ( this is spread out over around a 15 year period, not all at once!)

I believe (and I have no medical training so don't know if it's correct) that generally, it is preferred not to do dental work under GA. A sedation means that work can be carried out a a dental surgery, rather than having to go to a hospital. I seem to remeber there were some problems with patients who reacted badly to GAs at dental hospitals a few years back, and there weren't the facilities available which are around in a hospital. Also, the fact that with sedation you are still conscious means that it is easier for the dentist to work on your mouth, as you are still in control of your own breathing, swallowing etc.

As other posters have said, I was pretty useless for the rest of the day once I came round, but no side effects otherwise. I paid normal NHS prices for the actual dental work pluse c£40 for the actual sedation, around 3 years ago. I was with a newish dentist at the time and as soon as he mentioed I needed some fillimgs redone I asked him if sedation would be possible and he was happy to arrange it with no arguments.

Good luck! X

singlehouseholder

My dentist stopped doing it, reasoning that the time it took for sedation, she could have had three people in the chair. She referred me to my local dental hospital and I could not be happier with the treatment I recieve.I'm so anxious about the dentist I've been sedated for an extraction and for fillings. There is no charge for the work as students do the work, students who are closely supervised and are perfectly capable.