dental phobia

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#1 Post by **Kaylie** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:07 am

hi after 6 years of trying to be brave i just got ceramic braces on today........i was so scared to get them on but it wasnt as bad as i thought...
any one elce got a dental phobia?

#2 Post by **badbite** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:37 am

I am not scared of the ortho. Only the dentist! Mostly because of cost now. I have realized the reason I was scared was because I didn't trust my dentist. I have a new very expensive detist and now only am scared of the bill!

I lioke going to the ortho.

#3 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:41 am

I was scared of the dentist. I would sit in the car outside of her office and feel sick before appointments. I never had any serious issues, but was always scared sick to go.

The ortho was a very different experience and I was never afraid of that.

A great benefit to having gone through the ortho experience is that I am no longer afraid of the dentist! She told me that happens to a lot of her fearful patients once they have ortho treatment, the dentist is a breeze!

You're not alone!!

#4 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:49 am

Yup, and I am on the extreme end of the spectrum.....full blown panic attacks at the dentist if I am getting anything more than a cleaning. If it's just a cleaning then I have moderate anxiety (probably because I am afraid that they will say I need a filling). It is sheer force of will that gets me into the car and to the dentist's door. My dentist knows this about me and is very accommodating and actually specializes in treating people like me.

I have only experienced very low levels of anxiety at the orthodontist. I think maybe because it is less invasive. (?)

OMG you should have seen me during my bicuspid removal! I had nitrous (because I unfortunately needed to drive myself) and it was probably the worst experience of my life. It didn't make a dent in the anxiety and actually made it much much worse. Through the haze of nitrous and anxiety I heard the nurse say, "Her blood pressure is worse with the nitrous."

On the plus side, if I can go thru extractions and orthodontics---I think just about anyone can!

Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:01 am

my dentist is great, i've been going to him since i was about 10 or somthing
hes done all my fillings, 4 regular extractions, sealants
hes extremely gentle

i have no phobias regarding him, it just costs way too much

#6 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:05 am

My anxiety wasn't about the dentist herself, she's fantastic!

It was about the procedures and the possibility of her discovering something bad.

I did once have to take a valuim to get a filling.

#7 Post by **Betty Bat** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:01 am

I have a needle phobia that spilled over into a dentist phobia. I didn't go to the dentist for about 10 years. My dentist is the husband of a very good friend of mine, so that helps me remember to be on "good behavior" when I go. I've had 4 fillings replaced and I have 4 to go (he's replacing the metal fillings that I've had for about 40 years). He uses a numbing gel before the novocaine shot and I can honestly say that I don't feel anything when he does it! Of course, I close my eyes when I sit down in the chair and I don't open them until he's completely done.

So, my phobia is a needle phobia. I'm OK with the drill, once the shot is over.

#8 Post by **CactusZAF** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:27 am

I'm totally petrified of going to the dentist, Just sitting down in the chair (even before it's reclined) puts the anxiety levels through the roof for me. I guess it's because of the dentist my family used when I was young, he was capable of inflicting excruciating pain on his victims uh sorry, patients even when just doing a routing checkup/ cleaning. This fear/anxiety is so deeply rooted in me that my new dentist (who is awesome, and is yet to inflict any pain on me even after replacing most of my old fillings) keeps asking me to tell her if she's hurting me.
Although it's not nearly as bad at the ortho, I still get extremely tense, so much so that the assistant keeps apologizing for hurting me even though I'm in absolutely no pain. I must concentrate on relaxing the whole time I'm in the chair.

#9 Post by **loulou123** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:28 pm

I used to have a severe dental phobia to the extent where i physically couldnt go alone, or i just wouldnt go in. As a result of this i just didnt go to the dentist for a few years

strangely tho, the more nasty things i had done the less scared i became (almost like oh well, lets just get it over with then) im still not a fan of the dentist and still have a phobia of extractions (which isnt good news when ive gotta have 1 on friday)

#10 Post by **islandbabe715** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:44 pm

Yes, dental phobia is pretty high on my list of fears. Still have almost two years of treatement, i get violently sick and shake the entire day before and during my adjustments.
You'd imagine it would improve by now but I guess not.

Hope your treatment is a lot more bearable!!
Have a wonderful day!

#11 Post by **Kaylie** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:25 am

wow i actuly assumed that i was totaly alone in my fear!
its good to know that others are as scared as me!

i beleive my fear came from a fear of needles too.... im scared to have anything done even reclinng the chair can be enough to send me in a panick attack racing for the door!

#12 Post by **badbite** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:20 am

You do not have to get needles when getting dental work. I never get a needle (with the exception of my root vanal I just had). The uncomfortableness is not anywhere near as bad as the needle. I didn't even get a needle for a crown (on a tooth with out a root canal). I am always fine without.

#13 Post by **loulou123** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:33 am

strangely im 100% fine with needles, its all the rest of it i dont like!

New dentists always do the injection and then tell me the worst is over, and im like "actually thats the only bit i dont mind!"

everyones different tho, and we're all scared of different things.