I had nightmare permanent molar extractions (4) as a child to allow crooked front lower and upper teeth to ‘spread out’. I was given no anaesthesia whatsoever. Subsequently, even massive amounts of gum injections failed adequately to numb. Various dentists told me my gum nerves ‘went in unusual ways’ and became angry and frustrated with me. Eventually, I found a dentist who was a retired Dentistry Prof from Liverpool dentistry school, running a dental surgery as a ‘leisure activity’! He diagnosed me as dental phobic, saying that my body was blocking the effects of the injections. He gave me ‘alternate analgesia’ ( a light scented gas which left me happy and conscious). I amazingly used to actually look forward to going to him for treatment. Then he totally retired. Recently I broke a lower molar and was told the only analgesia offered nowadays was sedation costing £195! I cannot afford this for every dental visit on top of the cost of the dental treatment. There is an acute shortage of NHS dentists in my area (Kirklees), and my previous NHS dentist crossed me off her list whilst I was abroad for 3 years, so had to go private for this broken tooth. I was given 8 injections in total; I became extremely lightheaded and on the point of collapse, but the tooth was still not completely numbed, so I had to suffer an agonising extraction. I feel I have come full circle back to where I was as a child and am terrified of another dental visit. Can you PLEASE help or advise?