Expert answers
We know how daunting dental treatment can be. Our Dental Phobia certified experts are here to help ease your mind before treatment by answering your questions.
I have avoided the dentist for many years
I have severe anxiety on the subject of dentists and needles. It’s caused me to avoid dentists for the last 11 years.
as I have got old problems with my wisdom tooth have become severe so I recently plucked up the courage and went to a dentist ( who is lovely and very patient with me)
I was told my wisdom tooth is impacted and needs to be removed and I also need 4 fillings.
I went back today for the first of the fillings and it’s been (through no fault of the dentist)extremely traumatising.
I had 2 local injections but this still wasn’t enough to numb the pain and after around 20 minutes she managed to get about half the decay out but the pain was still excruciating and I couldn’t sit through any more.
She has already agreed I need to tooth removed under a G/A and I have private medical insurance through the hospital at which I work so will have it removed there. I have no doubt that I will not be able to attempt the filling again (she has put a temporary filling in) but at the same time I must get this treated (I’m only 26 I cant have a gappy smile!)
As well as being a whole lot cheaper for me I think the only chance to have this treated is to have it all done at once under G/A can that be done?
My phobia has now moved onto more like hysteria. The last time I was taken into hospital they tried 3 times to put an IV in (including a kids one) I got so stressed my veins kept collapsing. At this point my body just tends to shut down and I black out.
The dentist has told me that she will try again one more time but wants me to have three injections (I can just about cope with one by screaming and crying but anything more and my body starts to just shut down to block it out)
After today’s fiasco I’m highly unconvinced I will make it through 3 injections and then the filling and repeating the process three more times there after as well as having the tooth removed.
would be grateful for any advice as I really just want to get this sorted and dealt with.
Suggest your dentist refers you to a sedation clinic at a dental hospital . There ate inhalation techniques that can be used to deliver sedation .