Root Canal Treatment Tonight

[anth]

I really hate going to the dentist, which is possibly why a couple of months ago it was my first visit in 15 years. Actually, things weren't bad, but one tooth I cracked and broke a couple of years back needs a root canal.

She's starting that tonight.

I'm terrified...  I had two fillings a month ago without anaesthetic and managed fine, and hell, I even tried to drive myself to hospital when I broke my arm (before common sense kicked in). But for some reason the thought of going to the dentist, and even the tiniest possibility of any pain (including the local anaesthetic injection) reduces me to a quivering wreck. I've not been able to conentrate all day. 

[Greenbank]

You'll be fine. Any temporary discomfort is much preferable to the pain when the nerve gets infected.

[mrcharly-YHT]

You have my sympathy, Anth.  I struggle with dentists as well.

It has nothing to do with pain; I'm not really bothered by ordinary pain.
I won't go into what it is about dentists that disturbs me, as it would be unhelpful for you.

But mucho sympathy

ps I broke a tooth yesterday. Really don't want to go to dentist about it, as I think they will insist on taking out the wisdom tooth that caused the break.

[Greenbank]

I hadn't been for about 15 years.

It cost me £5,000 to put my teeth right and I was lucky and got lots of the work done cheaply (by being my dentist's student for a course she was doing, normal price would have been £12,000). This involved about 6 one hour long visits (cleaning, filling) and then two 6 hour visits (for 10 crowns).

I don't mind it now as I know there's not much other than a clean and polish and the occasional filling that needs doing.

[anth]

I actually fully intend to start going regularly after all of this (5 visits in total, 2 for the root canal, the others to repair old fillings, and put in new ones, and one BIG filling - for the tooth next to the one that broke). My 'estimate' reckons just £250 or so for the lot, and (so far) she seems a fantastic dentist and is very understanding.

I still see her with devil horns and so on though.

but thanks guys, I just need to calm down and get on with it. Tough northerner and all that...

[her_welshness]

I really hate going to the dentist, which is possibly why a couple of months ago it was my first visit in 15 years. Actually, things weren't bad, but one tooth I cracked and broke a couple of years back needs a root canal.

She's starting that tonight.

I'm terrified...  I had two fillings a month ago without anaesthetic and managed fine, and hell, I even tried to drive myself to hospital when I broke my arm (before common sense kicked in). But for some reason the thought of going to the dentist, and even the tiniest possibility of any pain (including the local anaesthetic injection) reduces me to a quivering wreck. I've not been able to conentrate all day. 

Don't worry Anth, you will be fine - The root canal is a walk in the park compared to being sat at home with the infection already in place and making your life a misery. The worst part is the bill, trust me!

[anth]

  Thanks

[pumpkin]

I was TERRIFIED  of dentists for years and ended up having a lot of work done in my 20s. I went to the University Dental Hospital near me and the treatment I had there was superb. I now see a dentist every 6 months. I once timed how long the treatment I was having took and it was 2 minutes! Take an Ipod or something similar to listen to whilst they treat you. Having tooth infections is infinitely worse than a few minutes in a dentists chair. Good job men don't give birth!

[anth]

I was TERRIFIED  of dentists for years and ended up having a lot of work done in my 20s. I went to the University Dental Hospital near me and the treatment I had there was superb. I now see a dentist every 6 months. I once timed how long the treatment I was having took and it was 2 minutes! Take an Ipod or something similar to listen to whilst they treat you. Having tooth infections is infinitely worse than a few minutes in a dentists chair. Good job men don't give birth!

Like MrCharly says it's not so much the pain, but there's just something about the thought of going, and the thought there might be pain. Not that I'm saying I'd be happy going through childbirth.

[Ariadne]

Hope it goes ok - I'm sure it will.

With something like the dentist, I try to just take myself off somewhere else in my head. These days that tends to be an imaginary bike ride in the country. When I was in my 20s I remember it used to be the Preservation Hall, watching blues bands and drinking whisky. I suppose I've got old!

[Bledlow]

Two of my roots have been filled. One has a titanium peg in it, to hold a tooth on top.

The most painful parts of both procedures were the anaesthetic injections.

It usually ain't that bad. As already said, vastly preferable to the alternative, which really does hurt.

[anth]

I now officially have the 'Best-Dentist-In-The-World'. At the end I commented on how much I like this pain-free dentistry, to which she replied, "That's how it should be."

[CrinklyLion]

Yay!

Isn't it fantastic when you realise that you have found a dentist who you feel you can trust?  I went through a 'get the cold sweats and shakes at the idea of it' phase a few years back following a fairly negative experience on top of alreasy being a bit nervous, until I ended up with utterly dreadful toothache that just couldn't be ignored any more.  Someone at my then place of employment recommended their exhorbitantly expensive private dentist - and I had no chance of getting an NHS spot so went and spent obscene amounts of dosh on dentistry that stopped my teeth hurting and didn't cause pain.  It was a revelation.

I now have a very good NHS dentist.  And I've had an extraction and root canal work this year which, although not exactly fun experiences, were absolutely fine.

Well done for getting it sorted 

[mrcharly-YHT]

Great news, anth.

[Rich753]

I now officially have the 'Best-Dentist-In-The-World'. At the end I commented on how much I like this pain-free dentistry, to which she replied, "That's how it should be."

hooray - high 5s all round   

[Little Jim]

Our (NHS) dentist now does "painless" injections by placing a small pad of cotton wool soaked in Novocaine (Or what ever they use now) on the injection site while he gets the rest of the stuff ready and then when he sticks the needle in you can't feel anything.  It's pretty obvious when you think about it, but he's only done it in the last year or so.