Dental phobic, are dentures the answer?

Why, after the dentist promises me she is only going to LOOK at my cracked open molar, does she insist on having that probe in her hand while LOOKING? It totally triggered me. I'm not going back to her. I've been through so many dentists. They always end up losing patience with me because I'm so extremely phobic about any dental work.

As soon as we have the money, I'm thinking about getting dentures. I have a couple of bridges, many fillings and crowns, several over 30 years old - just have bad teeth. I really - REALLY - can't deal with any more poking, prodding, pain or drilling of my teeth. After all my teeth are pulled and healed, how bad can dentures really be???

(((((((((((((( pomegranate )))))))))))))))))))))

I had extremely bad teeth and I am really bad dental phobic so I had them all pulled, I haven't gotten around to getting dentures yet. If I were you I would talk to a dentist about your concerns and see what they recommend, my dentist was totally behind my decision to get mine pulled because bad teeth make your health worse.

My sister who is aged fifty three, had all her teeth pulled out about two months ago.

She has paid private for them and so you would assume have nothing but the best.

However.....Even though she is now on her third bottem set she still cant find ones that look and feel good. It is costing her a fortune !

She hated her teeth and was very happy to have them out now she is upset and wishes she hadnt done it.

Have you thought about being hypnotised ?

Hunh. No, haven't thought hypnotism. Don't think I could be and honestly that scares me too, giving control of me over to someone else! Have you had hypnosis done?

Some dentists are trained in providing sedation for all dental procedures even for just having your teeth cleaned.

Pom, hypnosis doesn't give anyone control over you. It is deeply relaxing and you are always in control. (It is nothing like the entertainment hypnosis you may be thinking of). It's fun really. And it feels wonderful--I felt light calm for hours afterward The hypnotherapist is the guide, but you are in control. You can learn self-hypnosis too.

There are dentists who specialize in treating patients who are terrified of dentists. Maybe you could look for one and see how a visit goes?

No I havent and for the same reasons you just said lol. It was just an idea.

Why can't I find one of these? All the dentist I've tried all say in there ads and on the phone how caring and gentle they are. I go and they are just like every other dentist, impatient with patients like me. And they never believe me when I say I need sedation or novacaine!

I love love love my top ones. however I can't wear my bottom ones. I need to find the money to replace them. otherwise I say at least go for the top.

I'm sorry. It sounds like you aren't finding the dentist right for you.

http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/special_needs.html
This looked like it might be a useful site.

This too
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/g...h-hypnotherapy

Awwww....Pom....

Boy! Can I relate to what you are experiencing....primarily about the phobia.

I'm sooooooooo bad....(lol..."how bad are you?").....I'm so bad that I have to not only take liquid valium an hour before procedure, be sedated for procedure, but have daughter sit on my legs during procedure while under sedation because I end up either sliding out of the chair forward, or back up into the chest of the Dentist...Gawd!

I have been known to slap the dentist in the face, or the instruments away from my face, (while sedated, no less)...especially as soon as I hear that drill start up....and the closer it gets to my face...the more I begin to panic.

It took me years of avoiding the dentist, and many loss of teeth to finally have God grant me some relief by directing me to a tiny, family dentistry (asians...who, in my opinion have proven to be the MOST caring of all...don't mean to include the nationalities here, but it IS the truth). Ironically, his name is Dr. Au., (pronounce "Ahhhh"...lol...how appropriate).
I began with the primary dentist for adults, who somehow was able to pull a molar without even sedating me...OMG! THAT was nothing short of a miracle. I was so impressed with him that I not only had to shake his hand, but have referred anyone I know to him.
Well, after that small miracle of his, I didn't hesitate to make further appointments to (hopefully) save what was left inside this mouth filled with teeth doomed to eventually falling out. It was the next procedure that convinced him that I was a "bit" more than he could contend with, so he hands me over to his sister, who is the child dentist....lol...
She proved to be able to handle my phobia and I've been blessed with their wonderful care ever since.
Still, though....my phobia is just as strong as it's always been, but they are prepared for me and know what to expect. They always make special arrangements for my visits....LOL.

My dentist strongly advises against dentures..to avoid them as long as anyone can, especially if you have strong bone structure.
I am seriously cavity prone. My teeth are going bad regardless of how well I care for them, (hereditary issues and poor health care while younger)...Not the greatest combination for future years.

My dentist advises to avoid dentures as a solution primarily because they tell me that the way they design them anymore, there is an increasingly growing amount of dissatisfied patients who have to deal with all this new technology, and new means of "improvements".

I remember when my parents had their dentures..(gawd...more than 40 years ago...?). They had teeth pulled. Immediately had fittings put in. AND they do not have to use all that denture glue crap to keep them in place.

Both my hubs and sister now have dentures, and thought it was something that really couldn't be avoided without major reconstructive works. Anyway, neither are satisfied with results. Hubs has to use that denture glue, (though his set, both top n bottom, still look good and fit reasonably well), and sister HATES hers...cannot find a set that fits well...will not wear bottoms because of the pain they create for her.

Pom, perhaps you can seek a child dentist who can suffice your needs?
I'm so sorry that you are going through this trauma.
(A good way I've found to tell a good dentist too, is to sit in waiting room and listen for any patient cries....lol)

I sure hope you do find a dentist who can deliver you some relief to your personal situation. I know they are far and in between...but I know they are out there.

My best to you.

Shangrala

Dear Pom , the only way I can have an extraction is by sedation.
I pass out about a minute into getting local anesthesia.
The only thing that bothered me is I had short term memory loss.
All I could remember was getting the intervenous. Anything after
that , like going home or picking up prescriptions was a total blur.
You MUST have someone with you or they won't perform the
surgery. I just recently went in for scaling and polishing and I
was surprised I made it through that no problem. It's like any
fear , the more you do it the easier it gets.
Good Luck Pom

Pom........

When I was a receptionist for a dentist, up in Kenosha, WI, we had 1 patient who (retired) had been a nun, and was raped. She was most uncomfortable coming to see us, even to have her teeth cleaned. It wasn't about the fear of the pain associated with the dentist.

The dentist always sedated her by writing a script for valium and I think used laughing gas. That worked for her. You have to be firm when you make your calls, tell them even having a probe in you mouth puts you over the edge. You don't have to explain any other issues, just a phobia. There are a lot of people who have phobias about the dentist. Or people in general getting into their personal space.

One other patient was afraid of needles, had a phobia I should say, he had very bad teeth. When Dr. W. would do anything, this patient would not allow an injection, so he jumped a lot and had Dr. W. try to explain why he had to sit still, that he had a very high speed drill in his hand and he could accidently hurt him. The dentist was frustrated too. They worry about law suites, and are very concerned about their patients.

Well, he was only trying to help the guy, what they ended up doing, he and a group of dentist got this patient in an out-patient clinic, put him under, did all the work at one time, it was something huge, root cannals, crowns, fillings, some extractions.....I remember doing up Dr. W.'s part of the bill alone.....but he got his teeth "healthy" and looking good. He was farely young too, I don't recall his age, but because of his fear of needles, he just didn't have good dental health.

The patient really appreciated what this group of docs did for him. It does happen, maybe this is the answer for you.

Take care, I know my mind set is to keep my own teeth as long as possile, they may not be the straightest, the whitest, even the healthest, but they are mine!

Dr. W. tried to talk this dude into seeing a specialist in phobias as part of his care as well. I don't know if he ever did or not, but I hope so for his furture "teeth". I vote for you to keep looking for a good dentist and that you keep your own teeth, bridges and all.

My sister-in-law got dentures and has had nothing but problems with them. She was on medicade at the time and they only allow 1 lining per year, at least at the time that is all they allowed. She has this very quick trigger gag reflex and because the dentures and the lining didn't ever fit properly, when she wore them, she gaged very easily. She carried them in her purse and only wore them when with company. She learned to gum her food rather than hassle with them. Now she doesn't bother to wear them at all.

Good luck, I know you can do it!

I am at the point where I don't have any choice but to have all my teeth pulled & get dentures......all my teeth have been breaking off.....this has been going on for years.....actually since I was in high school......almost 40 years ago.......but it has been just the last 10 years where every tooth on the top is broken off.

The enamel didn't form when the teeth were forming.....sick, high temps & antibiotics they say is the cause.....along with inherited bad teeth from my dad......of course, they pass along all the bad stuff.

Somehow when I was young, I also was grinding my teeth....they had no idea how to protect them at that time.....I remember in my mind, there was this desire to get the teeth out of my mouth.....somehow, my mind must have known how bad my teeth really were.

I was talking to a pain psychologist last year & he said that AD's cause people to grind their teeth even worse & clench their jaws. It was right after they started trying to find AD's that worked that my teeth really got worse......

Because of the grinding, it also formed soft tissue behind the bottom teeth that has to be removed before they can do dentures....nothing like added problems I didn't need.

I have no insurance & no money extra each month to make any payments....so don't know what is going to happen.....medicare doesn't pay for dental & yet I am sure it has some health issues it's causing.

I honestly don't know how I can have such bad teeth without really bad pain......how teeth can just break without any pain is beyond my imagination. I am sure that once I am able to get the teeth pulled, I will feel a lot better energy wise......surprised there hasn't been any infection that I know about......but it could be a good reason why all my joints are so sore all the time. It is hard to know how bad teeth really effect your health.

Knowing that there are others in the same position as I am in.....makes me feel bad for them also, but at least I don't feel alone...

Thank you for sharing your dental phobic.....I would go to the dentist, but would usually loose it.....think the last root canal, I had 7 valium before floating into the office......don't know how I will get through having them pulled.

Take care...hope you find a better solution than having them pulled if there is nothing seriously wrong with your teeth.....

Tough call at times though I understand,
Debbie

OH, Debbie, the same thing is happening to, mostly, my bottom teeth. They crack off, in bits and pieces. Although the tooth I'm having extracted is an upper right molar - big chunk cracked off. But like you, it does not really hurt except for sensitivity to heat and cold. The dentist said she could put a crown on it but I can not stand the thought of going through that again!

I've always had a problem with grinding my teeth also. Never made the connection to having AD, but make perfect sense! I'll have to pay for the whole bill for any dental work I have done also. Why do they treat our eyes and our teeth like they aren't part of our body or don't cause us pain or illness?

The older I get the worse my phobia gets. I simply can't tolerate what the stress of having dental work done does to me physically and emotionally any more. I was wiped out, totally exhausted, for 2 days after just visiting my (ex) dentist to simply find out I needed a tooth extracted. Knowing I'll be put to sleep has lowered my anxiety considerably about the oral surgery.

One thing I can say about this thread is that it looks like there are several of us suffering from bad teeth here. I have some dental phobia, but not to the extent some of you. Still, it's enough to make me dread appointments, and sometimes avoid them. Money is also a major factor (Medicare does not pay dental).

I want a lot of cosmetic work, but I can't even afford the repair work (the last dentist I went to said I needed about $8,000 in repair work and treatment). Don't confuse my wanting dental work with the wrong part of it--I want the results, not the work, understand? I want a beautiful smile, which I've never had.

My parents didn't teach or make me brush my teeth when I was young. I got into the habit in my early 20's, but I have so much damage, and consume a lot of things not good for the teeth.

I was also going to suggest sedation, since they can give you pills now. I'm not sure what to tell you, if you've gone to the ones in your area. You might try 1-800-DENTIST for a recommendation. I can't do the sedation route, because anything that makes me sleepy (thus, lack of control) freaks me out. But if it would work for you, I'd recommend that far before going for false teeth.

Thanks everyone - thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I found a female oral surgeon who will be extractly my molar next week. I'm scared but not as bad as after my visit with that dentist. Plus I know they will be putting me to sleep.

After I get this done I have been researching finding a dentist in my area who will work with me. I've got some names and once my surgery heals I will start tackling making the phone calls and visits to find a dentist to try and keep my teeth healthy - even though I'll be minus a molar . Thank you all for the helpful links and suggestions!

Pomegranate,

Due to health reasons I had to have all my teeth replaced. I was very excited at the prospect of having a complete set of sparkling gnashers that the dentist had to say to me "I think you have an unrealistic view of dentures". I didnt believe her. 5 years on and on my third set which finally fit, although I love when no one is about and I can take the damn things out. It is definitely harder to eat certain foods as well. I am now considering getting all implants put in. I had a terrible phobia of dentists as well and always had to be sedated whenever I went. Finding a dentist that would sedate was a challenge and often involved trips of 50 miles or over to one.
Go for it but its not what you expect.

Paddy

Pomegranate,

Glad you are able to have the option to find a good dentist to save your teeth. That really is a much better option than I have.

Several broken teeth ago when I went to the dentist while in California the last time (December 2007)......she was one that does implants which is why I went to find out more information also. She said my only solution was to have all the teeth pulled upper & lower. She said that because of the bone structure in the gum is too small, there would be no way for them to do the implants......said it would cost a least $40,000....or maybe that was $60,000 (at that point it was all too much) & she said that no insurance covers all of that kind of surgery anyway. That reconstructive surgery would require bone taken out of other part of the body to build up the gum area for any implants to be successful & even then it would probably not work out after all of that. She said that the pain involved was also not necessarily worth it either. Her specialty is implants, so I figure she knew what she is talking about.

She said dentures are the only viable answer. Also would have to add to the surgery mandibular tori removal......soft tissue on the lower gum left & right. She said it was because of grinding my teeth. She said it has to be removed or they can't fit the dentures over it & it would be very painful if they don't remove it.

I didn't want to do anything about my teeth until I was better settled in Kentucky. Living alone with my doggies, is stressful thinking about having to take care of myself alone if I were to have any problems also. I know there are times when I don't feel good, that I am not able to take care of anything....so that is definitely stressful. However my teeth continued to break faster than I am getting settled. My other problem was that my weight was still so low after going through the trauma with my Mother in 2005......It wasn't until this year that my weight is finally at a healthy point where I can actually afford to loose a couple of pounds without ending up sick again. I also wanted to be established with my pain specialist here before doing anything like this also.......so many reasons (excuses) not to do anything......but time is running out & so are my teeth.

They say that bad teeth can cause heart problems & a lot of other health problems......I don't understand how Medicare can refuse to pay for something like this when it is so health related.....maybe you have to have a heart attack caused by it before they will do anything......I really do have to check.....who knows.....maybe they just need to have a oral surgeon say how serious the situation is???

I guess I wouldn't have to worry too much about food bills...lol while having the teeth pulled, so that expense would go way down on a monthly basis. The problem I am at the point where the last tooth that was able to chew broke off......so I am down to the point where the option of doing nothing is no longer there.......but have no idea on how to pay for it.....or where to go to get the kind of treatment I need with my fear given the monetary limitations.

Will see how much longer I can go before having to do something......need to really get it figured out before it becomes an emergency really.....but have had so many other issues that have been higher priority & still do.....but my teeth are definitely becoming a higher priority.

Debbie