Phobia of the dentist...
Discussion
I feel comfortable posting this now after todays visit.
2 weeks ago I developed severe toothache from the wisdom tooth area on the right hand side, In true ignorant man (stupid) style I ignored it until I couldn't sleep (4 days).
I was ignoring it because I seemed to have developed a bit of a phobia regarding going to the dentist after a reasonably brutal wisdom tooth extraction some years earlier, and as these things go, the longer I left it the more I didn't want to go back.
At this point let me add that I have been reasonably careful regarding my dental hygiene in the past few years, I'm not a smoker and I brush/rinse twice a day.
Anyway, I digress - the pain became pretty much unbearable, unable to concentrate, sleep or generally function without masses of painkillers, it was time to go to the dentist and seek professional help. to say I was nervous was a bit of an understatement.
The dentist took one look and i could see from the look on his face it wasn't good news, a right rear wisdom tooth was broken beyond repair and needed extraction, as well as a root from a tooth that had degraded to such an extent It couldnt be saved (its not visible when I talk/smile/laugh ) - this was not good news.
all in all
2 x extractions
3 x fillings
I was really wishing I had gone to the dentist earlier now...
So I came away antibiotics in hand, appointment for the treatment in 2 weeks.
The antibiotics (amoxycillin) worked a treat and pain relief was within a couple of hours, so much so that It didn't trouble me again (part of me was still considering not going to the treatment now it felt better....(daft I know).
So today was my surgery, when I got there I informed the dentist that I do not want black fillings, certainly sir - that'll be £60 per filling (meh, I suppose its worth it in the long run). he also gave me the choice to have one extraction today and one another day, I declined, might as well get it all over and done with in one go!
Due to time constraints he only had time to do the 2 extractions and 2 of the 3 fillings but my god extractions are just as brutal as I remember, that bloody crack when the wisdom tooth went wasn't very nice. He also informed me that two of the roots on the other tooth had fused together, that took a hell of a lot more pressure to remove than the wisdom.
On the whole though the fillings were no big deal at all, quite relaxing really and now the extractions are done Im alot happier...although I do have a sore mouth!.
Next stage of dental work is the remaining filling and then start looking at getting an implant fitted in the tooth that is not really visible..im just a bit self concious of doing a belly laugh or similar and it becoming visible.
Can any of you make any recommendations for the implant work and possibly a guide price? dentist has said circa £2000, does this sound reasonable? and are there different types of implant?
Anyway, sorry for the long post but I now plan on REGULAR visits to the dentist and it really wasnt as bad as I had imagined,
Pete
2 weeks ago I developed severe toothache from the wisdom tooth area on the right hand side, In true ignorant man (stupid) style I ignored it until I couldn't sleep (4 days).
I was ignoring it because I seemed to have developed a bit of a phobia regarding going to the dentist after a reasonably brutal wisdom tooth extraction some years earlier, and as these things go, the longer I left it the more I didn't want to go back.
At this point let me add that I have been reasonably careful regarding my dental hygiene in the past few years, I'm not a smoker and I brush/rinse twice a day.
Anyway, I digress - the pain became pretty much unbearable, unable to concentrate, sleep or generally function without masses of painkillers, it was time to go to the dentist and seek professional help. to say I was nervous was a bit of an understatement.
The dentist took one look and i could see from the look on his face it wasn't good news, a right rear wisdom tooth was broken beyond repair and needed extraction, as well as a root from a tooth that had degraded to such an extent It couldnt be saved (its not visible when I talk/smile/laugh ) - this was not good news.
all in all
2 x extractions
3 x fillings
I was really wishing I had gone to the dentist earlier now...
So I came away antibiotics in hand, appointment for the treatment in 2 weeks.
The antibiotics (amoxycillin) worked a treat and pain relief was within a couple of hours, so much so that It didn't trouble me again (part of me was still considering not going to the treatment now it felt better....(daft I know).
So today was my surgery, when I got there I informed the dentist that I do not want black fillings, certainly sir - that'll be £60 per filling (meh, I suppose its worth it in the long run). he also gave me the choice to have one extraction today and one another day, I declined, might as well get it all over and done with in one go!
Due to time constraints he only had time to do the 2 extractions and 2 of the 3 fillings but my god extractions are just as brutal as I remember, that bloody crack when the wisdom tooth went wasn't very nice. He also informed me that two of the roots on the other tooth had fused together, that took a hell of a lot more pressure to remove than the wisdom.
On the whole though the fillings were no big deal at all, quite relaxing really and now the extractions are done Im alot happier...although I do have a sore mouth!.
Next stage of dental work is the remaining filling and then start looking at getting an implant fitted in the tooth that is not really visible..im just a bit self concious of doing a belly laugh or similar and it becoming visible.
Can any of you make any recommendations for the implant work and possibly a guide price? dentist has said circa £2000, does this sound reasonable? and are there different types of implant?
Anyway, sorry for the long post but I now plan on REGULAR visits to the dentist and it really wasnt as bad as I had imagined,
Pete
I'm going to be a little tough on you guys tonight.
I have a friend who had a bad experience previously with a difficult extraction (not with me). She had not been to a dentist for 10 years and needed a broken down tooth removed. We did it, and as I anticipated and explained in advance, it did take some time and some effort, but we got the tooth out.
At the end of the treatment, she turned and said 'That was horrendous, that's why I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'. I was so hacked off, I let my professionalism slip a little, and told her 'No Jan, what you just went through was BECAUSE you haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'.
If you neglect your teeth and don't get regular care, then when you do get treatment you should expect it to be more complex, more risky and more expensive.
I am normally pretty patient, and am not aiming this at you alone, but many of the others who ask dental related questions in the forums, but why is it but so often it is implied that it is the dentist's fault that you need complex, difficult and expensive care?
[rant/]
I have a friend who had a bad experience previously with a difficult extraction (not with me). She had not been to a dentist for 10 years and needed a broken down tooth removed. We did it, and as I anticipated and explained in advance, it did take some time and some effort, but we got the tooth out.
At the end of the treatment, she turned and said 'That was horrendous, that's why I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'. I was so hacked off, I let my professionalism slip a little, and told her 'No Jan, what you just went through was BECAUSE you haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'.
If you neglect your teeth and don't get regular care, then when you do get treatment you should expect it to be more complex, more risky and more expensive.
I am normally pretty patient, and am not aiming this at you alone, but many of the others who ask dental related questions in the forums, but why is it but so often it is implied that it is the dentist's fault that you need complex, difficult and expensive care?
[rant/]
Edited by wendyg on Saturday 12th November 00:33
wendyg said:
I'm going to be a little tough on you guys tonight.
I have a friend who had a bad experience previously with a difficult extraction (not with me). She had not been to a dentist for 10 years and needed a broken down tooth removed. We did it, and as I anticipated and explained in advance, it did take some time and some effort, but we got the tooth out.
At the end of the treatment, she turned and said 'That was horrendous, that's why I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'. I was so hacked off, I let my professionalism slip a little, and told her 'No Jan, what you just went through was BECAUSE you haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'.
If you neglect your teeth and don't get regular care, then when you do get treatment you should expect it to be more complex, more risky and more expensive.
I am normally pretty patient, and am not aiming this at you alone, but many of the others who ask dental related questions in the forums, but why is it but so often it is implied that it is the dentist's fault that you need complex, difficult and expensive care?
[rant/]
Yes I paid the price for my procrastination. It's not even painful, I can't pin point why visits to the dentist cause so much panic. I have a friend who had a bad experience previously with a difficult extraction (not with me). She had not been to a dentist for 10 years and needed a broken down tooth removed. We did it, and as I anticipated and explained in advance, it did take some time and some effort, but we got the tooth out.
At the end of the treatment, she turned and said 'That was horrendous, that's why I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'. I was so hacked off, I let my professionalism slip a little, and told her 'No Jan, what you just went through was BECAUSE you haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'.
If you neglect your teeth and don't get regular care, then when you do get treatment you should expect it to be more complex, more risky and more expensive.
I am normally pretty patient, and am not aiming this at you alone, but many of the others who ask dental related questions in the forums, but why is it but so often it is implied that it is the dentist's fault that you need complex, difficult and expensive care?
[rant/]
Edited by wendyg on Saturday 12th November 00:33
wendyg said:
I'm going to be a little tough on you guys tonight.
I have a friend who had a bad experience previously with a difficult extraction (not with me). She had not been to a dentist for 10 years and needed a broken down tooth removed. We did it, and as I anticipated and explained in advance, it did take some time and some effort, but we got the tooth out.
At the end of the treatment, she turned and said 'That was horrendous, that's why I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'. I was so hacked off, I let my professionalism slip a little, and told her 'No Jan, what you just went through was BECAUSE you haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'.
If you neglect your teeth and don't get regular care, then when you do get treatment you should expect it to be more complex, more risky and more expensive.
I am normally pretty patient, and am not aiming this at you alone, but many of the others who ask dental related questions in the forums, but why is it but so often it is implied that it is the dentist's fault that you need complex, difficult and expensive care?
[rant/]
Yes I paid the price for my procrastination. It's not even painful, I can't pin point why visits to the dentist cause so much panic. I have a friend who had a bad experience previously with a difficult extraction (not with me). She had not been to a dentist for 10 years and needed a broken down tooth removed. We did it, and as I anticipated and explained in advance, it did take some time and some effort, but we got the tooth out.
At the end of the treatment, she turned and said 'That was horrendous, that's why I haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'. I was so hacked off, I let my professionalism slip a little, and told her 'No Jan, what you just went through was BECAUSE you haven't been to the dentist in 10 years'.
If you neglect your teeth and don't get regular care, then when you do get treatment you should expect it to be more complex, more risky and more expensive.
I am normally pretty patient, and am not aiming this at you alone, but many of the others who ask dental related questions in the forums, but why is it but so often it is implied that it is the dentist's fault that you need complex, difficult and expensive care?
[rant/]
Edited by wendyg on Saturday 12th November 00:33
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