Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire OH, GAWD help me.....(dentist phobes unite, PLEASE).......

figures!

Went in a couple of months ago to get my teeth cleaned. Hygentist wanted to check my blood pressure. Ok not a problem her face when the reading came on the monitor. 210/140 she was out of her seat and asking the Dr. to come look. After several minutes of relaxation she took another reading. This one was 110/79.

I hate the dentist, the smell of the office. The whole experience bothers me. Blood pressure rises, muscles become so tight.

Maybe cuz my uncle was the dentist and we received no special treatment. His reply to the pain "oh you can't feel pain".
When I had my wisdon teeth pulled he put NOS, on boy that was great. I was practicaly unconcious, sort of come to when each tooth was pulled. And the Dentist had to break the wisdom teeth into four pieces to get the out.

I avoid Dentist like the plague. I hate to take my kids in for their teeth. The whole thing has changed so much. Sit in the chair and watch sports center. Listen to music, has gotten a little better.

I understand about that phobia I had a real problem with dentists myself, until i had an abcess wisdom tooth finally went after my jaw had swollen up the size of a soft ball. The Dentist who was a pretty small guy looks at me and says novacaine is not going to work. I am 6'3" and work out a lot. I told him I have a "thing" aboutdentists or any one working close to my face. He gives me a shot of somthing. I go out like a light. I wake up an hour later. the nurse hands me a poloroid picture the dentist with both knees on my chest pulling that tooth. After that I just have them knock my butt out before doing any thing. No problem any more. But then I had them all pulled a fdew years back so i do not even worry about the dentist any moreunless i need a new plate made. That only happened once after a disorderly drunk and his two friends thought they would jump me. They all got a ride to jail with a side trip to the ER for two of them. I still chuckle about that since they tried the excessive force bit, the Judge looks close at the thre of them and askes me why none of them got shot.

Here you go

I've had more teeth pulled than I lost on my own.
4 Wisdom Teeth Gone
4 full sets of braces (rubber bands too)
3 Retainers
1 Pallet Expander

If you don't know what a pallet expander is here you go. It is a small geared mechanism that attaches to 2 molars and 2 front teeth. In the gearbox is a keyhole. When you turn the keyhole it expands the upper portion of your mouth, bone and all. For me 3 turns a day for a number of months.

1 Massive Jaw surgery.

My lower jaw was growing down instead of out, and upper was going down instead of out as well. When I bit down on my back teeth my front did not even come together.

They cut my chin off and removed 5mm of bone to shorten my face. They then broke my lower jaw and took 1/8 inch out of each side and moved it up and back. Finally they detached (read chiseled off) my upper jaw and removed 3/4" YES 3 WHOLE QUARTERS of an inch of bone from my upper jaw, straightened it out and bolted it down with 4 titanium brackets and 16 screws.

They also broke and straightened my nose, emptied my sinuses, and reground my nasal passages to help me breathe through my nose better.

I had my jaw wired shut for 8 weeks and went almost to 155 pounds. From 210

Cracked tooth? Man it up lady, I had all that done when I was 17

If it bothers you that bad, have the dentist knock you out for the procedure, but make sure someone can drive you home to make sure you get there safe

Actually I love to have my teeth cleaned but then I am sleeping with the hygenist! Always find a time to slip my hand up the inside of her thigh and make her jump! Course I am married to her but it still is fun! TM

I was never phobic about going to the dentist but it was always something that I didn't particularly like.

Then I started college. The dental school within the college used students as guinea pigs for the student dentists to work on,... all free.

I needed some work done so I signed up,... went twice a week for several months. Ever since then I think no more of a trip to the dentist than I do a trip to the barber.

One thing I *did* learn by having so many different dentists work on me,.... The good ones don't hurt you.

If it hurts, find another one.

My wife is a dental assistant so she gets me in her office on a regular basis. After several years of her telling me I needed to get my wisdom teeth pulled she just maid the appointment and told me to be there. I'm not a big fan of the dentist. She kept telling me how it was no big deal and I should quit being a baby. So I gave in and arrived, on time, to meet my doom.

I was told it would take thirty or forty minutes to get all four out and in a few days I'd be good as new. Three and a half hours later I had been renumbed for the third time. The doctor had broken the end off his stainless steele tooth pryer thing and I still had two and a half wisdom teeth in my head.

We all mutually agreed to call it a day and leave the other two teeth alone. A few days later my wife admitts that I was the most difficult extraction she had ever assisted on and she almost lost her lunch watching the doc saw, pry, chisle, and pull my teeth. The doc is still brooding at having been "defeated by my devil teeth".

Good luck Hound Girl.

Oh yeah,... somethin' else.

Since it's a cracked tooth, there's a good possibility that you're going to need a crown. The latest thing is this hard white plastic stuff that looks like real tooth material.

It's junk.

Unless the tooth is up front, go with the good old gold crown.

Or, hell,... even if it's up front you can get the gold!,... go 'round lookin' like Fitty Cent, or the notorious B.I.G.

It's your call

My father was a gas passer and did not allow us to have numbing agents unless we NEEDED to have them. Having plenty of cavities as a kid left me with plenty of experience in novicaine-free dentistry. Had all my amalgam fillings removed some years back and replaced with plastic. During the course of a number of sessions sans novicaine I fell asleep more than once while the dentist was actually grinding.

The simple fact is I am neither tough nor brave, most grinding does not get to the level of nerves... Have had a root canal and guarantee I had the needle for that...
art

FWIW, the correct spelling is "toof".

I had my first root canal a few years ago. Like everybody else, I had heard the horror stories about them, but mine was a definite non-event.

Seriously,... I'm not trying to be all macho about it, but there just wasn't any pain involved at all.

Well said........Once the needle part is over you will be fine. I'm going to have a crown installed next week and they can make the final crown while I wait. It will take them 2 hours with all the latest laser carving equipment from start to finish. Piece of cake. Close your eyes and relax and you will be fine.



Mark

All those that just say man up. F off. It don't work like that. I"d rather have major surgery than the dentist.

We all have our issues, mine and others happens to be dental.

Cracks me up the way they bootleg the syringe behind their hip. I ain't ascared of needles either (I'm all macho and stuff). The look on the Dentist's face when I ask to see it is priceless.

I guess I have been to Dentist as much or more than most. There is one thing I always think about. You know that little thing that sucks stuff out of you mouth? What happens if there is a short circuit or something and the motor is somehow reversed?

I've had major surgery,... on the table for 11 hours,... woke up missing some stuff and stapled together like Herman Munster.

It was a pain.

All in all, I'd go with another root canal, given the choice.

Rick and other gave good advice, but like Jeff abruptly pointed out, everyone has their own issues.

I hate needles, but have managed to get by. The only time things started to get freaky was in Jr. High when I had an emergency trip the the Dr. for umpteen stiches in my upper lip after being high-sticked in gym hockey. My upper lip was VERY much in my vision range, and as Doc pulled the waxed thread through my lip over and over it would pull my lip out. I survived, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. A trip to the dentist pales in comparision now (for me).

Why did you call yer Dad a gas passer Art? Didn't register.

I don't know what is involved with a cracked tooth but my Dad told me one day he didn't take a shot or gas, just let the guy drill. He told me to try it saying "when you're done you're done."

I talked to the dentist about it and he said where he practiced as a newbie, the area was poor and a lot of people skipped the meds to save a dime.

So I gave it a shot and it isn't as bad as the drilling sounds. Once in a while he gets a nerve and the room temperature raises pretty fast...but you sit tight and walk out.

I feel differently about getting cut and stitched

Tomk-
I think it was a reference to profession (anesthesiologist) as opposed to a remark about gastrointestinal distress.

Needles don't bother me. I watch them give shots. I can take the numbing shot in the gum without a deadner and all is fine. I watched them stitch me up a few times. Funny how the skin pulls and all. I've asked to be able to stitch myself. In fact I generally carry a suture kit and lidocaine on drop hunts in the bush. Along with other meds. I've watched them sew my dad up on a few occasions. I watched the vet operate a few times.

The dental office doesn't bother me at all. Smell is fine. But turn that damn drill or polisher on and I'm on the ceiling. Tensed up and all.

I would prefer not to have major surgery, but the drill drives me nuts. Last surgical procedure I had done, the gas doc says count to 10. I inhale and say, man this is good stuff..... never got to 1... Wake up and all is better. Sore and rehab but better. No noise, no recollection. Nothing. Thats good.

Jeff

Jane, BTW I threw a cast net last summer. In chest deep saltwater for bait. Held the rope in my mouth and forgot to release it. It came out when the weights hit though.... I spit out a lot of blood. Major parts of 2 teeth. I lasted till February this spring before the pain got to bad. I feel for ya.

Jeff