Sedation for having your teeth out? (Dentist Phobia)

Pennylane

I think it is a terrible shame that some of us have very bad experiences with dentists, which then develops into a real terror in the future.

Over the years, I guess like everybody else who has moved around a bit, I've had all sorts of dentists. Most OK, 2 superb ones and several clumsy or very rough ones.

The place I described above was so bad that next time I had to see a dentist I was a quivering wreck. All my life prior to that, I just went along, had the work done and went home. Like I say, some better than others, but no big deal.

I now stress for weeks about seeing the dentist and then keep postponing my appointment which is not good.

lana22

I paid an extra £48 for the midazolam on top of my NHS fees for the work.
I was a bit upset when I went there as I had booked it in thinking it was for my normal dentist who is very understanding.
When I got there he was away and it was a lady locum. She laid me back in the chair and cannulated me, then said she was going to put in the midazolam. But she then grabbed my mouth and said "it'll be over quicker without the sedation." I had to physically force her hand away to stop her. She also said my boyfriend could stay in the room, but as soon as I was in the chair she ushered him out.
It was still a horrible experience but I couldn't have had it done without sedation.

To make things worse, I am a doctor and the dentist told me I shouldn't be such a wimp because I was a doctor! I deal with people with needle phobias etc on a daily basis and I would never treat someone the way she did. Her bedside manner seriously needed some attention.

I think in future I will get one of my colleagues to cannulate me before I go (she was pretty useless at it), and buy the midazolam myself on a private prescription.

hethmar

Its very difficult for people who dont have this terror to understand isnt it. The strange thing with me is that I would do almost anything to avoid having a tooth removed - perhaps the horrors of a butcher dentist when I was a child, - on one occasion I ended up in hospital at midnight as I was still bleeding 12 hours after an extraction.

But now I would bear any pain IF I know the tooth will be saved. Its the fear of losing one thats the horror for me. Im very grateful to have found a chap (through two different recs) who is kind thoughtful and it feels like he is on my side when I go to him. I had a really awful filling done last week and I didnt even worry about it until the day I was going and then only that he wouldnt be able to save it and Id have to have it out. As it was he hummed along, saying "lovely" at every stage and that gave me such confidence - makes all the difference. Some dentists Ive seen are so rude and abrupt that Ive actually walked out before they get started. I want to feel Im in safe and sympathetic hands not someone who thinks Im stupid for being phobic.

blue_monkey_2

Thanks for all the messages, kind of weird thing to say but a relief to know it is not just me that is a wimp, LOL. I think the worst thing about NHS dentists is that they tend to be students who do a year and then move on so you never get to form a bond with your dentist. I have a lovely young chap who used to do my teeth at the last practice and I went when my son was 4 months old (he was a very difficult baby who hardly slept). Well, I went for root canal and have the injections and that green thing on my mouth, next thing they were clattering the instruments around and they said 'all done' and I had fallen asleep while having it done I was that tired. They must have found it hysterical but never said anything.

However, then the practice moved and they clearly found their NHS parients a bother and told me that they would not do either my extraction or cap as 'there was no funding'. So I have left it and left it and I am to where I am now. At the said surgery they used to see the NHS patients in the rooms downstairs, there was 2 plastic chairs in the waiting room - which was just chairs by the reception desk, people had to stand if there was more than 2 of you, and no magazines to read while waiting and it was quite dark as there was no lighting by the seating. One day I was sent upstairs by mistake and it tuned out to be where the private patients went and it could not have been more different, it was like a hotel lobby with soft chairs, lightingand magazines to read. I could not believe it and it certainly made me feel like a 2nd class citizen that is for sure. It was at this appointment they patched my tooth after it has snapped in half and told me that they could not offer me more treatment on the NHS.

I am petrified about having this done but I feel much easier with knowing that somewhere locally does the sedation so I have it on my things to do list for this week. I'll be back when I have spoken to the dentist to let you know what they say, but I have it on my list to do and it has alleviated my fear for now and I actually am going to get it done rather than put it off. I know my husband has to have the day off work though in case I am not able to get the kids from school though so it will have to be around his call rota.

Thanks once again for everything and being supportive.

blue_monkey_2

Juat to add to hethmar, I do understand what you are saying but it seems to me that there is little point in patching up a tooth that is damaged when it is in the way of a healthy tooth coming through. So might as well have this removed.

I have been talking about this with my husband, I was supposed to have the front molars removed when I was a child because my teeth are very bunched up and I would then have a brace fitted to straighten them and it would allow room for my wisom teeth to come through. But this was never done so my wisdom teeth have not come through but they do niggle and hurt occassionally and I can feel them there. I wondered if the other teeth had been pushing against the first molars and that they have become weakened, it does seem strange that the same teeth are the ones that are broken, bits of the tooth literally snap off when I am eating - and not hard food either.

I have thought that maybe this would be the time to have a brace fitted to straighten my teeth too but this comes down to cosmetic work at my age and I've read it costs around £3,000 for that, which I do not have so I shall live with my teeth as they are and have the damaged teeth out so that my wisom teeth can finally come through.

blue_monkey_2

Just called the dentist that my kids go to, yes they are taking on NHS and yes they do injections!! I could not even speak properly to ask and I kept on jabbering on. Got an appointment for a check up at...... 10.10 THIS MORNING!!! Shaking like a leaf, got to go busy myself so not to think about it. No breakfast in case I throw up, I am so nervous. I know it is ridiculous for people who do not understand but I really cannot help it.

angie_loves_veg

Thinking of you, and hope it goes well, let us know how you get on.

belfastgirl23

blue_monkey wrote: »

Just called the dentist that my kids go to, yes they are taking on NHS and yes they do injections!! I could not even speak properly to ask and I kept on jabbering on. Got an appointment for a check up at...... 10.10 THIS MORNING!!! Shaking like a leaf, got to go busy myself so not to think about it. No breakfast in case I throw up, I am so nervous. I know it is ridiculous for people who do not understand but I really cannot help it.

But for people who do understand it isn't a bit ridiculous, you should be in the chair by now, sending you good thoughts.

The good news is with the right dentist there may be a way forward - I used to be scared a month before an appointment, now I'm down to slightly uneasy the night before and a bit scared the morning of it whereas I used to feel exactly like you! So it can get better.

Hope it's going well...

blue_monkey_2

I am back and I survived!! LOL!! I think I would have rather had an hours notice as I would not have been thinking about it. I was in there for ages though, had 4 x-rays and a scale - but the dentist and her assistant really put me at ease. Ooh, and I had 4 fillings done and only gagged on 3 of them. They were so nice when taking the x-rays and waited for me to be ready rather than ram them in my mouth.

I've got to have a small filling though - I am going back for that next week but I think it will be fine. The injection scares me but it is one minute of sharp pain and that is done and she said 25 minutes, I shall take the Foos on my MP3 so I do not have to listen to anything though. Ha ha.

The 2 big teeth are coming out. I've been referred to a different practise to have it done privately as they do not do it there, it is about 2 miles from my home so that is OK. It is going to cost £15 for the consultations, £90 for the Sedation and either £60 or £80 to have the 2 teeth out dpending on how hard they are to remove. So now I just have to make the appointment. They tried to get me to cap and I said no as it would have meant 3 HOURS of work under a local and she said that there was no guarentee and they could possibly snap off :shriek: I do not think I could cope with that option so it is coming out. If the gap does not close they will build me a small densture but I do not think that matters to me to be honest. I'll see how I feel. Not sure I want that feeling of something in the top of my mouth.

And, get this...... next time I am in I am speaking to one of the private chaps about having a clear brace put in - once I have the teeth out the others will have room to move, so I am going to consider this once we have some money and fix what should have been fixed when I was younger. Are you impressed?? LOL. I feel so brave!!

The dentist was lovely and hopefully it is the start to regaining my confidence. I do not think I'll have to have another tooth taken out - and hopefully if I look after them it should not come to this, it has only got this bad because I have not been for so long. I'll let you know what happens once I've had the extraction though. If I have anything to tell you, I am told I will not remember.

hethmar

Thats wonderful, Im so pleased for you. Im glad you have found someone who gives you confidence. It makes such a difference doesnt it. Good luck and let us know how it all goes.