advice from a dentist if possible...

chubsta

This isn't a 'money-saving' thing, i am just worried about a procedure i have to have on saturday morning...

basically, last weekend the 4th tooth along in my upper jaw - 1st premolar i think - snapped down the middle, i went to see my dentist who said the tooth could not be saved and would need to be extracted, i was ok with this.

unfortunately he was unable to do it - i have had a tooth extracted years ago and from what i remember it was a hell of a job as it was explained to me that the roots had grown into the bone, at least that is how i remember it being explained anyway, the tooth had to be split down the middle and i recollect the dentist really struggling to yank it out - and it would appear that this tooth is the same, a large part of the tooth came off whilst he was trying but i am still left with one side being well and truly in-situ and the whole base of the tooth being still in place. My dentist said he didn't want to try any further as he felt it would just end up breaking the visible part of the tooth without taking the root part out.

I am due to be seen by someone on saturday who is a specialist at the more 'surgical' end of dentistry and my dentist said that he will perform the extraction. Is anyone able to explain what exactly this involves - apart from the fact that i am terrified of dentists the appointment is just before 11 and i am due at work at 2pm, is it likely i will be able to attend work or will i be in too much pain and numb/swollen etc?

Any and all advice appreciated.

purcel

As far as i know the tooth would be cut in smaller pieces and taken out bit by bit. Likely to be fairly sore for a couple of days. HTH

Toothsmith

Don't over-think it. You'll just end up winding yourself up!

Go along, it will be fine, but it wouildnt be a bad ideas to have the afternoon off.

It will be more the effects of your anxiety than the actual procedure that you will need recovery time from though!

chubsta

thanks for the reassurances guys, unfortunately not going to work isn't an option so i will just have to dose myself up with painkillers and hope for the best!

regarding the anxiety, i am totally terrified of dentists due to a bad experience when i was young and even after plenty of visits where nothing has gone wrong i still can't get over it. Fortunately I am the sort of person who can deal with bad stuff well once it is over so as soon as the dentist tells me to sit up and i know that it is done i am completely fine, albeit usually a tad sweaty!

anyway, I'm sure all will be ok, i have watched a youtube video of a similar extraction which looks horrendous but nothing is worse than not knowing what is coming!

belfastgirl23

I worried myself sick over a root canal a few years ago. But I think techniques have really come on the last while. In the end not only did I not feel it, I briefly fell asleep during it (I'd been too terrified to sleep the night before). I would bet it will not be as bad as you're thinking.

Rescue remedy also helps for the bit before you go into the surgery, especially if you have to wait a bit.

Lots of luck. And just think how good it will feel to have it over with.

suki1964

A surgical extraction is actually a piece of cake, compared to an awkward extraction attempted

Seriously I had one done earlier this year and it was a walk in the park. My dentist knows me well, knows how nervous and sensitive I am and choose to do the surgical extraction when he knew he could book me in for a long appointment.

I was totally fine leaving and was back at work 2 hours later. Following day I was a bit tender but not enough to need pain killers



Monday I have the joy of an extraction under sedation. Costing an arm and leg but the roots are under the tooth beside and we have to save that tooth

I've two days booked off work for that

Seriously a surgical extraction sounds dreadful but really is painless and easy enough to get through.

chubsta

well, a quick update in case someone else in a similar position stumbles upon this thread some day...

went in yesterday, very nice dentist in a very swish practice.

first thing was the anaesthetic - and boy did that hurt! i have had plenty of injections in my mouth and they all sting a bit but this was agony, if only for a few seconds - he did say the injections would hurt but don't know what he did what was different.

he started off by trying to take the tooth out as 'as normal' but it seriously wouldn't budge, he said it was in their completely solid so would have to take it a bit at a time. Cue loads of drilling and grinding and snapping off of the tooth. Then the roots - he was able to drill/take out the buccal(?) root, but the other one has a small piece remaining as he said to work on it any further would cause problems with my sinus'. Anyway, a series of stitches and all done - took about 45 minutes I would guess.

No pain at all during the work and much less afterwards than i was expecting - the numbness lasted about 4 hours but i went to work 2 hours after the operation and it wasn't too bad. I am prescribed some pretty strong painkillers due to a back problem but didn't need to take any at all, there is more of a grumbling than any real pain and although it is still sore the next morning i won't bother trying to mask what little discomfort there is as it will be nice to feel when it is getting better.

So, in a nutshell, nothing like as bad as i was expecting and a much less painful procedure than a previous extraction i had that had a similar stuck tooth. Cost was £130 which included some antibiotics...

Cheers for the advice guys, and Suki1964, good luck with your extraction!

belfastgirl23

Well done chubsta, you should be really proud of yourself!

suki1964

Well done Chubsta, told you it would be a walk in the park

My extraction under sedation went very well.

My blood pressure was through the roof ( as normal) so I didnt get put under enough to not be aware of what was happening, just enough to keep me in the chair and to give me a fit of the giggles

Very skilled dentist and the tooth was out in a few minutes, all in one piece

After a lie down ( still with the giggles) i was back home an hour later and fit to be eating two hours after that

Over all it was worth getting the little sedation I had. I felt much more relaxed and didnt have a panic attack as Im prone too. I will consider sedation again

chubsta

Good news all round then!

A week later and i still have the stitches in but there has been no infection or pain, a couple of times i forgot i had had the treatment and tried chewing on that side which was a little uncomfortable but no more than could be expected...

Perhaps trips to the dentist aren't to be feared quite as much as i thought.