Cavities/Fillings

[USFSDTAlum]

I HATE HATE HATE HATE the dentist. Any and all dentists, get away from me. This probably stems from the sadistic bitch I had as a child dentist because [/whisper] all dentists I have had since then have been nice [/end whisper].
But I still can't get over my utter fear and hatred of the dental community. I went for a cleaning monday, Two cavities later I have another appt for January to fill them. This is some BS i tell you, I brush, floss, rinse and do whatever. I am so over this. Its so bad, they gave me a small prescription for addivan (sp?) because I am so upset to go in there. The last time I was there, the dentist told me to stop looking at him like that because he wasn't hurting me. Suuuurrrrreeeee, thats what he thinks. I have to take a whole day off because I work myself up so much, that I crash and sleep all afternoon because of the adrenaline rush.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by aephi alum
Anyway, I'm really scared because of something that happened to my husband about a year ago. I mentioned earlier in this thread that he'd had a root canal. Why? He went for a routine checkup and cleaning, and the dentist discovered a cavity forming under one of his fillings. So he redid the filling, only he f*cked it up and hit the nerve. Root canal time. I'm scared that when I go in to have my cavity filled or the tartar removed, my dentist is going to hit a nerve and then I will need a root canal. (Obviously I am seeing a different dentist!)

Sometimes the filling is extremely deep that it cannot be avoided. Dentists that have many years of experience can readily tell from looking at the x-ray and in the mouth if maybe the cavity formed will be too deep... Inexperienced dentists just go right in all the way without thinking...

USFSDTAlum--

If your insurance pays, then you need to see an "oral surgeon" for your routine procedures. Or, try to see a dentist that can put you on Nitrous. Because, you'd be labeled a big fat "8" on my dad's charts--crazy 8--for crazy patients... (the main reason why I chose NOT to become a dentist)...

My mother is the worst patient on the planet. She curses my dad out for hurting her. Scrunches her face when he works on her and he hasn't even touched her... The moans in pain when he hasn't even started the work!!!

I'm my dad's best patient, he worries if I am still awake when he works because I am so calm and quiet...

Go figure...

[USFSDTAlum]

LOL.....
In a perfect world, any and all dental work would be done while I was asleep. It really is my only weird thing. I don't get anxiety at any other doctor, any other thing in my life. But I swear, the dentist gets me worked up and SCARED.
Honestly, the women dentist I had while a child was a monster. She would tell me that I was exagerating and that it didn't hurt as I was CRYING and trying not to be upset. Let me tell you, I have a seriously high pain threshold in general, and I'm not really a person who just cries to get attention. This isht HURT. And I'm dead serious, all my anxiety from the dentist stems from her. Its almost a learned behavior, you talk about dentists and my heart starts racing. I'm a normal, sane, calm, RATIONAL individual, until it comes to the dentist.

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
Sometimes the filling is extremely deep that it cannot be avoided. Dentists that have many years of experience can readily tell from looking at the x-ray and in the mouth if maybe the cavity formed will be too deep... Inexperienced dentists just go right in all the way without thinking...

I can only guess that my husband's original dentist didn't know what he was doing. Either the cavity was deep enough that a root canal was necessary from the start, or the cavity wasn't that bad but the dentist just drilled too deep and hit the nerve. I strongly believe the latter.

Tell me about these sealants. I don't want any more cavities. One is one too many.

[kstar]

is the big thing here in Oklahoma. They put you out even for cleanings.

They give you nitrous, and then locals, they put head phones on you on whatever station you want, and cover you with a blanket. I seriously sleep through my procedures. I love it.

My big thing I had with dentists was when I was little I didn't like them putting tools on me or wiping things off on the bib you wear. My new dentist doesn't do that, though, I wouldn't know if he did, since I'm asleep. The one bad thing about it is that I have to have someone pick me up and drop me off at the dentist because I'm too out of it to drive usually.

[KappaKittyCat]

I just went to the dentist yesterday. No cavities. I'm a lifetime member of the Golden Toothbrush Club.

I did have braces for three years-- sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Before the braces I had nine baby and two permanent teeth extracted. I also had my wisdom teeth extracted when I was seventeen to prevent their messing up my orthodontia.

I took chewable flouride vitamins as a kid, so my teeth are really strong. I also had sealants.

Oh, and I use a Sonicare. They really are the best.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by aephi alum
I can only guess that my husband's original dentist didn't know what he was doing. Either the cavity was deep enough that a root canal was necessary from the start, or the cavity wasn't that bad but the dentist just drilled too deep and hit the nerve. I strongly believe the latter.

Tell me about these sealants. I don't want any more cavities. One is one too many.

I don't know myself about sealants. I would think they are a special "polymer" that "seals" the microscopic holes in your teeth due to the porosity of the the dentin... That's why bacteria get into the teeth, make acid that digest the enamel away, along with the general bit and grind of a person's mouth... So I would have to ask my dad why I don't have them...

Another thing about sleep dentists: they do cost $$$$$$. That million dollar smile is for a reason why it costs that much. So, if you want that extreme makeover, well it will cost you...

A dentist would have to be truly stoopid to drill too deep. Unless this person was not a dentist, not board certified or whatever... It sounds like there was cavity formation under the filling. That happens with alloy fillings, alot and they are only spose to last ~30 years... If he had composites, they last a little longer. If he had gold inlays, he'd be paying out the butt--but put in correctly, he'd have those for life...

My dad got pissed off with me because of that... When he filled my last two teeth, molars, I had grinded them down so much that even though he chose to fill them, I would probably wind up having to get a crown on them with a root canal because I ground them so much that I could break them... So, I havta wear my "nightguard" in the day, which I don't do...

Oh well...