Dentist

[Valksy]

Can anyone who has recently had a procedure done lend a hand please?

Have a dentist appointment on Friday, am pretty sure that I am looking at a filling and as astonishing as it may seem, I have got to the age of 37 without ever needing anything done to my teeth. Unfortunately, am also a touch phobic about leaving the house and am considering how best to judge how I will handle it.

Questions: Was your filling done the same day it was discovered you had a problem? How long did the procedure take, from the moment you sat in the chair to the moment you stood up again? Procedure is - Injection, drill, fill? Anything else?

Anyone had a tooth pulled recently? Same questions - Same day? Duration? Injection, tug? Something else?


I'm not worried about pain or aftercare. Just deciding how much of my own medication/preparation I might need (yes, I could ask my dentist. But I have never been there, it isn't always easy to get on the books in the UK, and I don't want to start with "hi, I'm batshit crazy").

Thanks to anyone taking time and trouble to read and answer

 

[Nickolai77]

I'm pretty sure they don't numb your mouth or use any needles, well, that's according to my house-mate anyway. I have one filling and admittedly i can barely remember what happened, so that suggests the procedure is virtually painless.

I have also had a tooth removed (a baby one, so i could have fixed braces) and for that procedure my mouth was numbed. The needle going in was mildly discomforting, but of course after that nothing. It was just rather annoying having a numb mouth for the next few hours after the procedure. If your anxious about anything, i recommend closing your eyes, it kind of helps.

 

[LetalisK]

It may vary from place to place, but for my fillings they scheduled an appointment for me later. Came in, got a shot in the gums, they drilled and filled. Similar for getting teeth pulled. Hell, getting wisdom teeth pulled isn't nearly as bad as it used to be, so you'll be fine.

 

[SilentCom]

It shouldn't be so bad if your teeth are in decent shape. They'll probably clean them and scrape off plaque and stuff. Don't worry, the drilling sounds and scraper things are that bad although a little frightening at first.

 

[MrGameluvr92]

The filling procedure kind of depends on how bad the damage is. For me they just drilled away the damaged area and then used a kind of paste to fill the gaps in. My jaw was numbed with novacaine so I didn't feel a thing. Still, just relax about it, man. I've had like three or four fillings so far and none of them was a bad experience. Hope this helps.

 

[MrGameluvr92]

The filling procedure kind of depends on how bad the damage is. For me they just drilled away the damaged area and then used a kind of paste to fill the gaps in. My jaw was numbed with novacaine so I didn't feel a thing. Still, just relax about it, man. I've had like three or four fillings so far and none of them was a bad experience. Hope this helps.

This is exactly how my fillings have gone. If you can get through the novicaine injections in your gums, it's pretty smooth sailing after that. It's a weird sensation when they're drilling in your mouth, but it doesn't hurt.

Pretty much the novicaine injection just feels like a sharp pinch in the mouth. After that, it's like Swollen Goat said: smooth sailing.

 

[Chemical Alia]

My dentist I had growing up rarely used novocaine when he filled a cavity, he was very old fashioned and after having two done in my early 20's, I developed a fear of dental work. After not having dental coverage for six years, I went to a new one today. I need two crowns, a deep cleaning, and a possible root canal, mostly all stemming from an old filling gone bad (and only $1750 out of pocket!). This dentist is totally different and very concerned with patient anxiety, and they'll be putting me to sleep for this hideous four-hour procedure next week.

I'm thinking it's pretty common for dentists these days to use at least a local anesthetic on your mouth for fillings, I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Questions: Was your filling done the same day it was discovered you had a problem? How long did the procedure take, from the moment you sat in the chair to the moment you stood up again? Procedure is - Injection, drill, fill? Anything else?

I've never had a single cavity.

I've always had multiple ones, almost always along the gumline (due in part to my medication doing slightly weird shit to my gums).

Anyway, procedure went: sit, drill, fill, spit, drill, fill, spit, drill, fill, spit, drill, fill, spit, and so on for about 4 hours. No, I didn't forget any shots or other anaesthetic, there was none. I didn't ask and the dentist didn't offer.

Anyone had a tooth pulled recently? Same questions - Same day? Duration? Injection, tug? Something else?

2 extractions, same day. Procedure: Yank teeth out, pack holes with surgical gauze. No anaesthetic

Wanna hear my root canal stories? Was anaesthetic... but the mad bastard dentist jabbed the needle right through a swollen, previously pus filled infection on my gum... and then wiggled it around for good measure.


End of all that I got over AU$5k worth of dental for AU$80. Go go Socialised Medicine!

Fucking good dentist if something of a batshit sadist.

I'm not worried about pain or aftercare. Just deciding how much of my own medication/preparation I might need (yes, I could ask my dentist.

They'll ask you if you're on any medication and if so, what kind.

 

[bluepilot]

I have never had a cavity treated on the same day it was found. My dentist usually books a separate appointment.

The time it takes can depend on the extent of the damage.

Tooth pulling probably takes the least time. I think you can be in and out in around 20 minutes.

Getting a filling take slightly longer as they have to drill and suchlike. I have never had a crown or anything so I do not know

It is probably best to consult your dentist first and tell them about your condition so they can make necessary preparations for treating you.

Good luck (I am getting a brace fitting next week..booo)

 

[Colour Scientist]

I have four fillings.
In the last three weeks I had two replaced on either side of my mouth and cause the nerves were inflamed I still can't chew properly.
I'm used to them now though, the needle at the beginning is the worst bit, other than that it's just sound effects.
I've never had to take any extra medication.

 

[Valksy]

Thanks to all who took time and trouble to comment.

Really, just don't want to end up having multiple appointments. I don't fear pain at all, but feeling "trapped" in a dentists chair with a load of instruments in my mouth makes me nervous. Since I discovered the damage (hey? what is this sharp bit in my mouth?) it's taken 6 weeks to psyche up to being able to go. And while there are dentists in the area who say they deal with "nervous patients" but they were full and couldn't take me.

Anticipation is probably worse than what is to come.

 

[Valksy]

Turn out to be OK. Two fillings and a warning that my bruxism (tooth grinding) and acid reflux (stress related) are doing damage to my back teeth and they show wear.

He didn't do do filling then and there, I asked nicely, pass on the gum-numbing bit and got drilled and filled.

Feels very odd. But OK.

Was being the author of my own undoing again....anticipate, panic, fear.