Have to go to the dentist

The anticipation is probably going to be worse than the experience - and you're going to feel better once the work is done.

The good news about a school is that they'll have the latest advances, in technique and pain killers!, and also teachers watching all the work...the process may be a tad slower than a 'regular' office, though. But, you're helping the students as well.

Hopefully the rest of your teeth are in good shape, but that's a long time between visits...but usually dentists will prioritize and space out the work, if humanly possible.

Good luck to you.

Sounds like you are prepared for the worst, so it probably won't be as bad as you think! I've had a lot of dental work done the last 6 months (cracked a perfectly healthy molar in my sleep by clenching with 900 lbs. of pressure - stressed out at the time), and it hasn't been so bad. The pain killers they use to do dental work are excellent, and if you still feel anything, speak up and they'll give you more.

PMS-Hydromorphone was the best painkiller for after having work done (for me anyway). Really, you will feel much better after you get things looked after, it's scary to go in but you have to do it for the long run!

Let us know how it goes, I'll be thinking about you.

Aw sweetie, I understand completely! I put off going to the dentist for years, and when I finally decided I had no choice I had 9 cavaties. The longer you wait, the worse it's going to be.
Going to the dentist now is nothing like it was even 10 years ago. I have extremely sensitive teeth; I saw a specialist that I'd never seen before just yesterday and I flat out told her, "What ever you would normally use to deaden the pain, you'll need extra for me." She thanked me for telling her, assuring me that hurting me was the last thing she wanted to do.
Don't be afraid to speak up and ask for what you need. Good luck with getting your teeth taken care of; you really can't avoid it, unfortunately. Sending lots of calming your way.

You were just sick the other day, have you talked to your doctor or scheduled any tests for that yet? No sane dentist would touch you with that undiagnosed/untreated. You run the risk of reacting to something they use. (Epi used in the regular locals are enough to make me lose consciousness for example)

Regular doctors these days are very vehement about patients going for regular (ideally, at least every six months) dental check ups as well - it's amazing the number of conditions a dentist can pick up while examining your mouth and tongue. When these are going well, your dentist and doctor are great complements to each other.

Again, good luck.

I hope they are nice to you. Don't they know a mean/rude bedside manner turns patients off from returning, etc.? There is no substitute for a nice dentist who doesn't make you feel like dirt and one who takes a moment to educate us on things that the average person doesn't know! For example, I had to find out from the internet that a gum dentist is called a "periodontist". No dentist ever bothered to tell me (and it would've been extremely helpful to know!)

Well it sounds like you know you need to go, just need a bit of courage! I just went a couple of weeks ago and am bummed about needing cavities while my DH, who never flosses and has "challenging" teeth, needs none. Not fair!

Oh I hear you, I've been grinding too. The dentist noticed a lot of damage on my teeth. It's so frustrating as it's something you do to yourself but can't control because you're asleep at the time!!

You will feel so much better after it is done.

You'll feel so much better when the dentist is done with you. Just try to stay calm. Good luck with your appointment.

Good luck with your dentist appointment!

I hate going to the dentist, too, but it's one of those things that's important to your health. I hope everything will go OK for you.

glad it is over with. painfree

I'm sure that was a nasty experience! I hate novacaine shots; they are nasty things. And I'm a big baby, too. Believe me, I do feel your pain!

But what's really important here is that you remember that you need to go back to see him. And, honestly? If it turns out that you need a root canal, get it done! The temporary filling is just that and it will eventually fall out, even though it could take awhile before that happens. My brother had a temporary filling in a tooth and didn't bother to go back....and the tooth got really bad. He ended up losing the tooth.

I've had four root canals, largely because I grind my teeth and my back molars have suffered from it.

I'm glad you went and that it's over for now.

Hang in there.

Glad that you got through it - and the first time is always the worst -next time you'll have a better feel for what to expect. And, honestly, if they say to go for a crown or a root canal, do it - teeth are just one of those things in life that do not get better on their own.

Honey, after 3 shots you shouldn't have felt a thing! Don't EVER be afraid to ask for another shot; I don't cry at the dentist's office, but I always let him know to give me more than he thinks I'll need. I've stopped him in the middle of a procedure to ask for more novacaine. It's your mouth and you know how much pain you can handle.

If you need a root canal, honestly, it's not a big deal. In fact, I'm having a second one done on the same tooth; apparently a little nerve was hiding out the first time, then bacteria got into the root somehow---anyway, you can handle it. I've learned the hard way that you just can't let your teeth go---I have 2 bridges and 9 crowns.

Your jaw may be sore for a day or 2; ask the dentist told me the other day, take 600mg of ibuprofen every 6 hours. You can also rinse with warm salt water. If you're in pain longer than a day or 2, I'd call the dentist.

Glad you made it thru ok!

Honestly, for some teeth it's easier just to get a root canal. You still go through the exact same pain (injections) for either one. But I'm mostly talking about front teeth that usually need extra support added.

I had 5 shots of local (mepivacaine with no epi) for my last root canal and still had some feeling. It hurt, but not enough to bother me. But then, I do not respond to any sort of pain control very well and am sometimes on a fairly strong 2D6 inhibitor.

I had a root canal done on a top front tooth before it was capped. It took novacaine, and shots in the front of the mouth are more painful, I think. As are the shots on the outside of the gums.

But honestly, strange_wings and libby74 are right. Sometimes you're better off just to get the darn root canal and be done with it. And, for the most part, once the novacaine has taken effect, there's not much else to worry about. The shots are always the worst part for me. Once that part is done, I'm usually good to go.

A few years ago, one of my wisdom teeth decided to start coming in.....right into the roots of the molar next to it. I had to go to an oral surgeon to get the wisdom tooth cut out. As it turned out, the tooth had come in so far into the molar roots that he had to take both teeth....that missing molar is my only missing tooth.

I mentioned before that for some more intensive dental appts, I've taken Valium, one tablet the night before and one an hour before the appt. And then my MIL takes me to the appt. Well, that's what we did. The surgeon had written a prescription for two tablets, just the two. When I went that morning, he offered to put me under for the surgery. I said, Nope, let's just get it done. And honestly? It was fine....thank the Valium for that. But even he was surprised that I did so well.

I don't have dental insurance, but my DH has it through work. He has vision insurance, too, which helps us quite a bit. Our dental cleanings are pretty much free twice a year, usually every six months. Root canals and capping is about 50% of the normal cost, with the insurance paying the rest. Thank goodness for his insurance.

I'm just really glad that you went and know what's going on with your teeth now. Congratulations, Kara!