Dentist appt. vs ortho appt.--EEK!

[klobird]

I have a history of terrible dental fear. And it's really weird because for whatever reason, to me, going to the orthodontist is nothing like going to the dentist.

I have my 6mo. dentist appt. tomorrow morning. Now, I allow myself to panic only the night before the dental appt. (It used to be consuming fear, starting about 2 months before even just a routine cleaning.)

My dentist is wonderful--I call her "superdentist". Without her help, I would not have braces. When I first went to her last year, I told her that if this didn't work out, it would be the last time in my life I would be going to the dentist. (She specializes in dental fear). I just couldn't continue to go thru this fear for basically 4 months out of the year--but I did it anyway.

Well, I love her--she is the best dentist in the world. I hold most of my fear inside, and even with that she is aware of my total fear. She uses the highest level of nitrous oxide on me even for routine cleanings. (I know--really lame). And even with that, she says that I start panicking every single time she walks in the room. I'm not even aware of it. I don't even know what I do when she comes in, except one time she came in and I woke straight up, sitting there totally nitroused and totally awake and aware. (I'm not a groaner, gripper or screamer...)

With all the ortho visits, and no problems at all, I thought I would be OK for this dental cleaning--without the nitrous.
Tonight I'm starting to feel the old panic. The tightening pangs in my stomach that come and go. The consuming thoughts about the instruments on that little metal table. I even hate that little napkin thing around my neck! My ortho doesn't use any of that--and come to think of it--I don't ever remember seeing any instruments in my ortho's office. Not even one of those mouth mirror things.

So ya, not a good night for me...........does anyone else ever feel like this? Like going to the ortho is OK, but going to the dentist isn't?

P.S. I do get one prize at the end of it all--when I go back to get my archwire and power chains back on, I'm going for blue powerchains!

[TMJJill]

You can do it! Look how far you have come.

I had my first 6 month dental check-up with braces last month. It was a quick visit. I had good dental hygiene before, but it has been extremely good since I got the braces on. They hardly had to do any real cleaning. My teeth felt really good after the polish though. My visit was easy breasy. With all you've been doing to care for your braces, I hope your visit is just as smooth.

Strength to you.

TMJJill

[auco99]

I always used to hate going to the dentist, but for a different reason. It was because I knew the second I opened my mouth I would be exposed for my bad teeth. It was so humiliating, and caused so much anxiety. In my limited ortho experiences, however, I look forward to those appointments, BC in my mind they EXPECT me to have bad teeth, and it's okay. It is freeing to be there, BC for the first time I am okay with being honest about who I am. That's why being a 35 year old man with braces hasn't embarrassed me one bit. Its like "yeah I know my teeth aren't great, but I am doing something about it." Very cathartic. I've never smiled so much in my life.

But yeah, I still hate going to the dentist, but not as much as before being braced. Good luck! They seriously probably aren't going to kill you!

[klobird]

That is so true--I expect to be reprimanded when I go to the dentist. I expect to be helped by the orthodontist. The ortho helps me with problems that I had no control over. The dentist just blames and criticizes. Except not my "superdentist".
She is really wonderful. And if she is trying to teach me something I should be doing, she does it in such a way that I don't even know that's what she's doing...

With that said, at my last appt. she told me that my teeth were impeccable, and that there wasn't anything she could offer me to make them better (not that they don't have some inherent problems--they certainly do). And then she sold me some Prevident (a prescription form of cavity preventing mouthwash.) OK--so she actually did have something to offer me, but put it out there in a way that I didn't even notice at the time. I just love her!

Man this has been a long day. And then when I'm all done with the dental stuff tomorrow, I have an appt. with the taxman. A holiday worth looking forward to...

[sirwired]

If you have prescription insurance on your regular health plan, have the dentist write you a prescription for the Prevident. For me, it's $5 from CVS (with insurance) vs. $17 from the dentist's office.

[Robot Teeth]

I can understand why someone would have a great deal of anxiety before having some drilling done or teeth pulled, (and of course, plenty of anxiety before braces!) but as for a cleaning, I can't imagine why you'd get to the point where you're that terrified over just getting your teeth cleaned.

Maybe if you understood more about the procedures and tools used, you'd come to understand that none of it is going to hurt you in any way. You sound like you're absolutely consumed by fear, and if even clipping the napkin around your neck gives you a negative response, then I'd say it's worth trying to combat.

I'm no psychologist, but every time I hear about somebody getting over a phobia, it is because they've been forced to confront it directly and deal with it. People who are afraid of heights need to go somewhere high and stay there until their anxiety level decreases. People who are afraid of spiders need to be exposed to them and possibly even touch them. That being said, I know a girl who is so afraid of spiders that she'd rather remain terrified of them for the rest of her life than spend a little time now and then getting over it. And that is a level of fear that I can't wrap my mind around. One part of me feels sorry for her, but another part of me considers her a total wimp.

Last time I had a cavity, it had been a long time since I had been to the dentist, and I was really scared that he was going to have to do a lot of drilling. Not only did he not have to do a lot, but what he did was quick and painless. I was totally psyched up over nothing. Getting your teeth cleaned should be a total non-issue. Its nothing. Its a good thing. It makes them clean.

[klobird]

Sirwired--Thanks!! I've been paying $17--a prescription never even occurred to me!

Robot--You have given me some advice that is hard for me to swallow, but you're right.
I am going to try to go thru with it without the nitrous. When I get to the dentist's office, that may all change. I hate even walking in the door ( )--and they are all sooo nice to me...

Believe me, I know how ridiculous my fear of even just getting my teeth cleaned is......

[AnnR]

I'm in agreement with auco99 on this one - the embarrasment of going to the dentist exposing my teeth was a good reason to hate going to the dentist but I think the fear was deeper than that!

Still hate the dentist and have an irrational fear of going! Not sure it will ever change! I sit a quivering wreck in the waiting room! At the ortho I'm happy to be there!

[TumbleDryLow]

By the time you read this your appointment will have come and gone. I hope you do OK, but I just wanted to post and share my experience b/c you are not alone.

I had a very serious dental phobia as well. I say had b/c I seem to be mostly over it and I think I have ortho work to thank.

I wasn't as bad as you. I'd start having very bad anxiety the morning of my dental appointment. Once I got to the office I was in a full blown panic attack. Once I got into the chair I would uncontrollably shake the entire time. I have a wonderful dentist and she was very understanding. I never used drugs or nitrous. I just let the anxiety overwhelm me. Cleanings were probably a 5 on the anxiety scale, cavity fillings were about a 9, getting my premolars and wisdom teeth pulled that was about a 30.

When I started with ortho work I had some anxiety in the beginning. It was low though. Maybe about a 1 or 2. As the months went by I found I could get though the ortho appointments with very little anxiety. By the middle of my treatment I actually started looking forward to my appointments.

I used this lack of fear for the ortho and applied it to my dental appointments. The thought process went something like: "The ortho work did not hurt me, the dental work will not hurt me either. I am not afraid at the ortho. There is nothing to fear at the dentist." I did deep breathing while on the way to the appointment and while there. I know it sounds hokey but it really does work. Deep, deep breath in through your nose and out your mouth, over and over. You need to feel yourself relaxing. Will yourself to relax. You can! Really! Keep telling yourself not to be afraid and there is nothing to worry about. Remind yourself constantly how you are not afraid at the ortho and there is nothing to fear at the dentist. Visualize the ortho office and your lack of fear there.

I found that my first cleaning with braces was considerably easier for me. Anxiety only about a 2. The next time, a 2 at first, but then by the end of the appointment I had 0 anxiety. The third time to the dentist, no anxiety! I have been out of braces almost 2 years and I was at the dentist for a cleaning last week. I had no anxiety at all. It didn't even occur to me to be afraid. As a matter of fact, I was thinking how silly I had been all those years I worked myself into a frenzy over a simple cleaning.

As for other types of dental work, I'm still working on having 0 anxiety there. I had to get a filling redone about 6 months after having my braces removed. It was a big filling so I was in the chair awhile. I did very well. I still felt a bit of anxiety, but with deep breathing, listening to my Ipod and visualizing happy thoughts I got though it without shaking and without a full blown panic attack.

This is mind over matter. That's it. The reason you are so anxious is because you let yourself be anxious which makes you more anxious and this repeats over and over. You need to step in and say no. Stop the process. Deep breathing and rationalization worked for me, but maybe for you it will be something else. No matter what you do, do something because I can say that my life is so much easier now without the dental phobia.

Best wishes.

[EbonyQ]

How did it go klobird? Have been thinking of you today!

Robot teeth might have a point that maybe if you understood the tools and procedures it might make it easier for you. That’s partly why I took this dental assistant course before Christmas, and today I can work in a dental clinic without even feeling a bit of fear.
Had my first day as a volunteer at a dental clinic today and there was no fear what so ever. Not bad for someone who could not even take a step inside a dental clinic without freaking out. The sounds and the looks is normal for me now.

This is why I want to ask my ortho if I can work as a volunteer at his clinic a day or two. I have just not asked him yet lol , you know me klobird .

I really hope your app. vent well! And you know it's what the ortho does that are scary, not the general dentist, everybody know this

[klobird]

Ha ha Ebony-- You make me laugh!! OK, so I did the dentist--I'm done. I didn't die. I watched "House Hunters" on the ceiling TV the whole time. I was shaking, my legs were shaking, my body was totally rigid, but I settled down after a few minutes. And it was fine. I'm really glad that I only allow myself to freak out the night before the appts. now. It would have been a real waste of anxiety to have been freaking out for the last 2 months!!!

So Eb--hmmmm---sooooo--hmmmm--I did the dentist--your turn to do the ortho!!!

No cavities--and she praised my clean teeth--not something I've heard much in my lifetime ( ). Now if I would have had a cavity, I would have had a spoiled rotten kiniption fit!!! With all the obsessive teeth cleaning I do since braces...

Anyway, I got my prize--I got the blue power chain on top (I chose silver for bottom). I LOVE it!!!!

But you know what--man, it was like getting an adjustment when I got my archwires and power chains put back on. I didn't even have half a clue how much force those archwires are putting on my teeth--not until I had them out for a couple of hours!! But it's settling down now--getting back to "normal".

Thanks you guys for all your encouragement--all the time...

Now it's on to the taxman....

[lilone]

I'm afraid at the dentist (even cleanings) and seemingly not the ortho, as well. Strange, eh? I wonder why this is? I may be nervous the first time I see an ortho but not after that. For some reason, I always feel anxious and out of control at the dentist. And I even feel the same as you about the stupid bibs, Klobird. The worst is when you get a pan xray and you have to prance down the hallway like a tool in your little bib. Hate that. Hate the tinkle of the mirror when it hits my teeth, too. I wish that they could use plastic but I guess plastic would probably melt in the sterilizer. Anyway, all the smells, sights and sounds add to the anxiety. I hate the whole process to tell you the truth. But more than anything else, I hate feeling that I am being judged...for my fear reaction, for my crooked teeth...I don't know what I'm fearful of being judged about but I do feel like the dentist is there to judge and the ortho is there to help. It is worth noting that I did NOT like ortho the first time around (I was a very unwilling participant at that point) and my "ortho" then was actually just my family dentist. I am 100 percent positive that he is the man who sparked my phobia so I'm lucky it doesn't seem to translate to a fear of actual ortho's.

[klobird]

Even though I LOVE my "superdentist", I still have a hard time believing she is there to help me. I know that would be hurtful to her--but I can't help it--it's not her fault. It's all of those *ssholes going way back to the 50's for me. ( ) I just feel like they took advantage of my vulnerability as a kid, and just went all out with the verbal abuse. And then my mom would continue it after the appts., probably out of her own embarrassment. Uggghhhh...it makes me sick just to think about it. (For those of you my age--remember those white tops the men dentists wore--that made them look like a barber--and the white uniform dresses the nasty women assistants wore? Scary!)

I believe the ortho wants to help me with my crooked, bucky teeth. I believe that he understands my embarrasment. That's why most of us are there. It's like all mechanical at the orthos...he never has commented about the state of my teeth--it's like he doesn't even look at that at all (although I'm sure he really does look around...)

So ya, there it is....

By the way, my teeth hurt like hell tonight. It feels like I had an adjustment. Three hours without an archwire and then back in...yeoowww....didn't see that one coming!

[EbonyQ]

Watching tv while you’re at the dentist? What? Watching tv when you’re at the dentist is none-exiting here .

Even though you “did” your dentist, I won’t “do” my ortho
But yeah, I’m going to try to face my fear, to really face it like I did with my dental fear.

And I really hope you can get over your fear too! We both got these super people helping us and doing whatever they can to make this as easy as possible for us. And yet we still freak out….

[klobird]

EB--for shame!! Well, hmmmmm....EBONY Q!!!!

I would be happy to "do" your ortho too!!!--(he's yummy!!! ) Well, and uh, "superdentist" is a married woman and so am I, so that's out!!!!

Ya, my dentist even has movies she can put in to watch....pretty cool...I usually just put on the headphones and listen to music (I blast it so I won't hear anything). They have all of the music channels, so I usually listen to 60's, 70's music....she has thought of everything to make her patients comfortable. I was still so worn out at the end of the day yesterday, and basically just felt kind of sick from so much anxiety. Everything is much better this morning...