Fun Times at the Dentist!!

[Admiral_Young]

I finally went to the dentist for the first time in four years due to really bad jaw pain I've been experiencing for the past couple of weeks and found out that I have a slipped disc on my lower bridge along with torn cartilage. Passive treatment for the next two weeks using a hot towel wrapped around the jaw combined with pain killers. If that doesn't work then they dentist is going to have to build me a custom mouth guard. He said it was due from a combo of my twisting body and night time grinding.

Also went yesterday morning and had four fillings put in, have to go back next week for the other two! So yeah that wasn't pleasant. Anyone else have fun time with dentist stories?

 

[Sparky]

Last year I developed an Eye Tooth infection. At first I noticed the pain. 3 days later the left side of my face was so swollen that I couldn't open my left eye. The dentist had to put me on heavy antibiotics for a few days before he could even attempt surgery. I ended up having an emergency root canal done. Not the most pleasant experience. If I had waited a few more days before going to the dentist the infection could have killed me.

Death by toothache. Not the epitaph I want on my tombstone.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I've had so many fun times at the Dentist that I can't even count them. Before I had my braces put on, I had to have eight teeth removed in two days. In Junior High, I had an abscessed tooth that had to be removed surgically. In High School, I had to have jaw surgery because the braces I'd been wearing for about eight years weren't working. Over the years, there have been various toothaches and fillings. In the past several years, I've had to have two back teeth surgically removed-- and it turns out that I have long, twisty roots.

 

[Sparky]

I've had so many fun times at the Dentist that I can't even count them. Before I had my braces put on, I had to have eight teeth removed in two days. In Junior High, I had an abscessed tooth that had to be removed surgically. In High School, I had to have jaw surgery because the braces I'd been wearing for about eight years weren't working. Over the years, there have been various toothaches and fillings. In the past several years, I've had to have two back teeth surgically removed-- and it turns out that I have long, twisty roots.

Well. Beats my story.

 

[doubleohfive]

I have been avoiding it for years ... and really am needing to go address the several issues I've been having ... I can think of at least one tooth that will probably need to be removed/replaced, and I know I'll need a couple fillings.

I've been handicapped by a lamentable lack of insurance this summer and a shortage of disposable income for things like this, coupled with a morbid anxiety of dental pain. It's a ticking time bomb and I can feel it getting closer to BOOM! every day.

Fortunately, I've begun taking steps to address said issues and will hopefully have them resolved soon. I'm just not looking forward to it.

 

[Sparky]

I hear you there. The morbid anxiety of dental pain is a shared fear. I also have a very bad phobia when it comes to things in or near my mouth (har har, I have heard all the jokes) Seriously though, I can't even get a dental X-Ray with the small plates. I have to go for the big stand up machine. Hell I can activate the gag reflex and make myself puke just by brushing my teeth. I have run screaming like a little girl out of dentists offices at the sight of a needle. Get sedation dentistry. It made a world of difference for me.

 

[F. King Daniel]

I hate the dentist. The jabs never numb my mouth fully and the drilling hurts like .

I can deal with quite a bit of pain, but a dentist drill getting the nerve in a tooth gives me a "whiteout" of pure, sharp agony like nothing else.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Ugh. I hate going to the dentist too. And as far as bad pain stories go, about ten years ago i had to have a cavity filled. He gave me a couple of injections to numb the area (in the very back corner of my mouth) and to this day, i have pain from the injection. When i yawn a big yawn the pain is unbelievable...from where he put the needle in. It sucks verily.

 

[Pingfah]

I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth out at once, they put me under for the op cause they have to get right into the back of your mouth with pliers, but the recovery was horrible and the stitches very painful.

Hell I can activate the gag reflex and make myself puke just by brushing my teeth.

You wouldn't enjoy having a Gastroscopy then. Not that anyone does I suppose, but I foolishly refused the sedation as I wanted to ride home afterwards. Having your mouth held open by a brace and a half inch thick tube shoved into your stomach while pumping air down your throat (which incidentally comes back up in large amounts at the same time). It's not nice at all

 

[RoJoHen]

I haven't been to he dentist since I moved away from home and my mom stopped making my appointments.

For one, I haven't had dental insurance since I finished college. However, as a result of law changes, I was able to go back on my mom's insurance this past year, so I have a dental plan until I turn 26 (which is in April, so I should probably take advantage of it soon).

I definitely have some cavities that need to be taken care of. My biggest fear is that one of them is on my wisdom tooth, but I can't see it to be sure.

 

[Kestra]

I have been avoiding it for years ... and really am needing to go address the several issues I've been having ... I can think of at least one tooth that will probably need to be removed/replaced, and I know I'll need a couple fillings.

I've been handicapped by a lamentable lack of insurance this summer and a shortage of disposable income for things like this, coupled with a morbid anxiety of dental pain. It's a ticking time bomb and I can feel it getting closer to BOOM! every day.

Fortunately, I've begun taking steps to address said issues and will hopefully have them resolved soon. I'm just not looking forward to it.

I can totally sympathize. I couldn't even remember the last time I went, probably a decade ago, and I knew my insurance wouldn't cover anything more than a regular check-up. I was pretty sure that I had a cavity in every tooth considering even when I used to go every six months, I'd have several cavities. And get yelled at by the dentist.

Anyway, I finally grew so terrified of everything that I decided it was better just to know, and I found a dentist in the city. Short exam later he tells me, "Okay, looks like we'll see you in six months." I had no cavities! I kept asking him if he was sure.

I guess what I'm saying is if you can get the financial aspect together, just go and get it over with. You'll feel so much better just knowing.

 

[propita]

I've had so many fun times at the Dentist that I can't even count them. Before I had my braces put on, I had to have eight teeth removed in two days. In Junior High, I had an abscessed tooth that had to be removed surgically. In High School, I had to have jaw surgery because the braces I'd been wearing for about eight years weren't working. Over the years, there have been various toothaches and fillings. In the past several years, I've had to have two back teeth surgically removed-- and it turns out that I have long, twisty roots.

WOW! You outdo me!

My dentist said he could write a paper on my teeth. I told him I’d sign a waiver allowing him to disclose the details but not my name.

Eight molars, all with gold crowns because I destroy porcelain crowns. I’ve had 15 gold crowns on these 8 teeth because I evidently can destroy gold crowns, too. Three of the crowns got drilled through to allow root canals. Then one of those root canal-ed molars got a hole in the side under the gum line and had to be replaced with an implant. Drilling into the jaw is far worse than root canal, for the vibrations alone--and my mouth is kinda small. Not much room to work in and the tools are big. Fortunately, my teeth’s roots are relatively shallow.

I’ve broken one custom mouthguard and have started cracking the second. But it’s really lasting a while because the dentist reinforced it. And there’s a number of fillings I’ve totally forgotten about.

Even with the root canals (two are adjacent), it sometimes hurts in that area. My dentist said that my night-grinding is likely hurting the nerve in my jaw and that I’m lucky I haven’t actually broken my jaw from the continued impact.

I have probably had far more x-rays than the average person from all of this (but not as many as RJDemonicus/RJDiogenes, I bet), not including the x-ray angiogram last spring.

 

[Mary Ann]

I've had so many fun times at the Dentist that I can't even count them. Before I had my braces put on, I had to have eight teeth removed in two days. In Junior High, I had an abscessed tooth that had to be removed surgically. In High School, I had to have jaw surgery because the braces I'd been wearing for about eight years weren't working. Over the years, there have been various toothaches and fillings. In the past several years, I've had to have two back teeth surgically removed-- and it turns out that I have long, twisty roots.

Wow, RJ, you have my sympathies. Your story actually sounds worse than mine! What was your surgery for, if I may ask? I had braces by the age of 10, together with all sorts of retainers, elastics, and headgears to try to correct my open bite. It was a no-hoper, and since I'd stopped growing by the age of 12 (hence why I'm a shortass) I had a 6-hour surgery which was usually not performed on a child under 16. Basically it was to correct the upward curvature of my jawbone, so my jawbone was cut into 4 pieces and realigned. I still have metal hooks in my jaw, about 25 stitches right at the top of my upper gums, and my braces were wired shut for 6 weeks. Never mind the blenderised food, imagine not being able to brush the inside of your mouth for 6 weeks. Blech!

A few years ago I had my 25-year-old molar fillings replaced and it took 3 tries to numb my lower right jaw enough that I could bear the drilling. My dentist said I must have 3 nerves going to that one tooth, because he'd never had to drug someone up so much. It took almost 24 hours for the numbness to disappear completely.

 

[Thor Damar]

I'm going to have to admit to a rather useful visit to the dentist, thus spoiling the average. Sorry chaps.

Since I'm British it's pretty obvious that I would definitely end up needing to see the dentist about me teeth. Naturally, being the complete prat that I am, I held off making any visits for a number of years. It was only after a crack in several of my teeth resulting in a gaping hole in both and the attendant toothache forced my hand.

I was pleasantly surprised.

The rotten 'holy' tooth was safely and efficiently pulled in about 15-20 mins and the local anesthetic made it practically painless. The other troublesome fellow was removed and replaced with a false crown (or whatever you call it). Plus I had a filling quickly replaced, all within a month. I can't tell you how happy I was with the way that went.

Still have bloody awful teeth mind...

 

[RJDiogenes]

I've had so many fun times at the Dentist that I can't even count them. Before I had my braces put on, I had to have eight teeth removed in two days. In Junior High, I had an abscessed tooth that had to be removed surgically. In High School, I had to have jaw surgery because the braces I'd been wearing for about eight years weren't working. Over the years, there have been various toothaches and fillings. In the past several years, I've had to have two back teeth surgically removed-- and it turns out that I have long, twisty roots.

Well. Beats my story.

WOW! You outdo me!

Wow, RJ, you have my sympathies. Your story actually sounds worse than mine!

I guess I win.

What was your surgery for, if I may ask? I had braces by the age of 10, together with all sorts of retainers, elastics, and headgears to try to correct my open bite. It was a no-hoper, and since I'd stopped growing by the age of 12 (hence why I'm a shortass) I had a 6-hour surgery which was usually not performed on a child under 16. Basically it was to correct the upward curvature of my jawbone, so my jawbone was cut into 4 pieces and realigned. I still have metal hooks in my jaw, about 25 stitches right at the top of my upper gums, and my braces were wired shut for 6 weeks. Never mind the blenderised food, imagine not being able to brush the inside of your mouth for 6 weeks. Blech!

That was pretty much my story, although it may differ a bit in the diagnostic details, and I was seventeen when it was done. December, 1978, so I spent that Christmas wired up. But, yeah, my jawbone was carved up and reassembled; to this day my x-rays look like the Eiffel Tower.

After six weeks, I was starving for solid food, so my parents took me out for Chinese food when the wires were removed-- unfortunately my jaw was so stiff I still couldn't really eat for a couple of days. Although I managed to suffer through getting a few spare ribs and chicken fingers down.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I had an abscess a few years ago that I didn't even know was causing me problems. I wasn't feeling like anything was wrong, but during a cleaning, the hygienist found a popcorn kernel seated deeply in one of my wisdom teeth. I was given anti-biotics and then was scheduled later to have the 3 wisdom teeth I had removed.

 

[RJDiogenes]

However, as a result of law changes, I was able to go back on my mom's insurance this past year, so I have a dental plan until I turn 26 (which is in April, so I should probably take advantage of it soon).

You're lucky. The health care reform law doesn't include dental, so that must be either a state law or your mom's insurance company being generous. The company I work for is including dental coverage, but not until 1-1-11.

 

[propita]

A few years ago I had my 25-year-old molar fillings replaced and it took 3 tries to numb my lower right jaw enough that I could bear the drilling. My dentist said I must have 3 nerves going to that one tooth, because he'd never had to drug someone up so much. It took almost 24 hours for the numbness to disappear completely.

Drugs are wonderful when undergoing dental work ... unless they don’t actually numb the area well. On one root canal, the endodontist had to stop and give 3 shots into the root to get it to fully numb up again. A dentist once said after one procedure, “I’ve given you enough to keep half your face numb for a day, and you’re speaking normally. Are you numb at all?” Nope. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t numb. The stuff doesn’t last on me.

Thank big-pharmacy for vicodin.

 

[Capn Flukie]

I had to have all my uppers removed seven years ago, thanks genetics.

I arrived to the dentist's on the day of the removal and the dentist says "So, which one are we taking out today?" I look at him, "Um, I'm scheduled to have all my uppers out." and he finally looks at my chart and goes "Ohhh... ". I get all numbed up, get the lamp right in my face, nurse holding my arm and he starts going to town on them. So, he's pulling away at them, rocking them with with a tool like he's working the slot machines, and he's having a hard time getting them out, tough roots I guess.

He actually stops mid-extraction of one tooth and goes behind the curtain or wall, whatever it was, and I hear him breathing hard and swearing (in Korean I think) under his breath. I look at the nurse with as much eye communication as I can muster, and she shrugs. He comes back and says, "Ok, let's try this again.." More rocking teeth and and cracking as the teeth are breaking apart and the smell of burning bone wafts through the air. Finally got them all out, he scraps the jawbone to make it smooth, and then put the stitches in. Took two whole hours. It was quite the ordeal. Once I got home, I cried like a baby.

Now I have a nice upper denture, which has never given me any trouble, and I can actually smile at people.

 

[Holdfast]

Anyone else have fun time with dentist stories?

Beyond the usual teenage braces and the associated meccano set in my mouth complete with elastic bands, retainers, etc (which all worked very well in the long term anyway) I've been pretty lucky with dentists and the like.

In fact, I never needed a filling until earlier this year. That one was a major surprise (I'm in my 30s so didn't really expect a first one now). But the dentist was super-competent; she numbed the area quickly & effectively, worked confidently and gave the job a great aesthetic finish. Very pleased with her work, and well worth the cost to have such a good finish.