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Original poster

Dentist has said this is the last time my tooth can be filled

31 replies

Foslady · 13/07/2019 11:08

It’s a back molar that’s crumbling with nothing at the back, to be honest I’m amazed that they have kept it going this long, I had work done nearly 30 years ago when it was backfilled after wisdom tooth was extracted from under the gum and the pain I was in from this has set me off with a fear of work being done in this area. He has said it’s either a crown (max of 5 years) or extraction, which he said would probably be the better option, only I’m scared stiff now of this. He could do a full sedation but that would be privately for £150 plus the extraction fee on top.
I’ve only ever had one other tooth removed as a kid (we’re talking over 40 years ago now) and that was with cocaine and again I just remember a lot of pain.

Please talk me down from this - I know I need to woman up and get on with getting myself prepared for the next time, but quite honestly I could cry at the thought of it all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Foslady · 13/07/2019 11:10

And I know I am extremely lucky to have an NHS dentist and for many people this would be an out and out bargain, but my wage is low and it seems a hell of a lot of money for me to take out of the family budget when it just a fear I need to get over

OP posts:
MyOpinionIsValid · 13/07/2019 11:13

Take the NHS wideawake extraction. You don't need a full sedation.

Soontobe60 · 13/07/2019 11:13

I was in exactly the same position as you last year. I have a real phobia of the dentist but persevere as I have more fear of being toothless!
She suggested root canal treatment or extraction. As it was a back tooth, I went for extraction under sedation. I think I paid £80 all in. I had to wait a few months as the procedure was done at a different surgery which an anaesthetist. It was absolutely the best decision I made. No pain, no stress, no more toothache.

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Soontobe60 · 13/07/2019 11:13

Oh and even when I laugh out loud, no one can see I have no back tooth.

Original poster
Foslady · 13/07/2019 11:16

That’s what I’m telling myself - once it’s out it’s over with. And even if I am in pain it’ll be the last time......

OP posts:
Original poster
Foslady · 13/07/2019 11:18

And I don’t really want full sedation either - it feels as if I’m wasting resources, and putting my body through an unnecessary procedure just because I something that people have every day!

OP posts:
ChristineBaskets · 13/07/2019 11:21

I'm the biggest wuss and hate needles but I had a tooth out without sedation and didn't feel a thing! Honestly don't worry, it won't hurt (mine didn't hurt afterwards either, I just felt relief from the toothache).

delilabell · 13/07/2019 11:22

Oh op totally get your worry.
I let a tooth break and decay so much it had to be removed and quite close to the front. You can't see it.
I had mine done at local dental hospital. They were amazing.
I didn't go with sedation in the end and honestly it was over right from numbing me to leaving the room within 20mins.
You can do this!!

poopypants · 13/07/2019 11:24

Why would a crown last only 5 years? Crowns can last up to 20 years. If it's only lasting 5 then the dentist is doing a rubbish job.

JudgeRindersMinder · 13/07/2019 11:24

If you’ve had an anaesthetic for a filling, it’s exactly the same. I had to have a molar out and it was painless. I felt the pressure of the dentist doing what he had to do to loosen it, but that was all, absolutely no pain. Even after the anaesthetic wore off, the pain was just like bruising, so a bit of a dull ache. Honestly you don’t need sedation

Original poster
Foslady · 13/07/2019 11:30

@poopypants it’s because of the state the tooth is in - otherwise it would last longer.

Thank you for all your ‘it’s really no so bad’ experiences - it’s certainly helping me calm down a bit (overreaction I know, but the work done by the first dentist was a nightmare, he admitted afterwards he thought he would have to send me up to hospital at three different times during doing the work, and had to have a steroid injection in his wrist the following week! My jaw swelled up and bruised so badly I was off work for a week with doubled up painkillers and counting down until I could take them- I even did a self hypnosis video to put me under and give me some pain relief)

OP posts:
Otterseatpuffinsdontthey · 13/07/2019 11:32

Life-long fear of dentists here. Your dentist will be well aware of your fear.
For extraction, he should, first, use a "numbing" gel before actually injecting the local anaesthetic.
Don't watch what he's doing. Close your eyes - try to to think about something nice Hmm. It'll be done before you know it.
Perhaps your G.P. could prescribe a "one off " mild sedative?
Make sure you have some mild painkillers at home - you may, or may not, need them.
Good Luck Smile

CardinalCopia · 13/07/2019 11:36

Will your dentist let you listen to music? Mine does, I pop in my headphones and try to relax.

Tootyfrooty35 · 13/07/2019 11:39

Similar situation, was 6 years ago now, but crumbling tooth that I'd left too long as I was scared. Meant by the time I went though, due to pain, that the tooth wasn't salvageable so I had it extracted under local at an emergency appointment so no time to over think it. Dentist was great when I explained how anxious I was. No pain, just lots of pulling sensations which are weird but not painful.

VenusTiger · 13/07/2019 11:59

Cocaine? Hope that’s a typo?

Please don’t keep a rotten tooth in your blood stream, read about it, it’s disgusting. Get it extracted. I absolutely hate dentists, I literally obsess over keeping my teeth so clean so I don’t ever have to have work done as I hate dentists!! But I’ve had to have two wisdom teeth removed... one of them came through rotten. The injection was a bit stingy but lasted 5 seconds.... then after the numbness, I didn’t feel a single thing at all. No pain at all.
Get it out ASAP and don’t put your body through general anaesthetic, local is fine.

Original poster
Foslady · 13/07/2019 12:07

Hahahaha @VenusTiger, it’s what we were told it was when we were kids - you either had gas and air or cocaine, this was small town ‘70’s, nobody ever thought to update the language from the 1800’s!!!!😂😂😂

OP posts:
MitziK · 13/07/2019 12:07

Having a back tooth out is 'easy'. The injections are the only unpleasant bit - well that and trying to drink afterwards when half your mouth is numb - drooling isn't the most glamorous of looks. Although it was interesting feeling the difference in temperature perception from one side to the other.

Your GP might prescribe a single dose of something to calm you down, but either way, close your eyes and try to distance yourself from the procedure, listen to all the aftercare instructions and follow them - in my case for the one tooth I've had out that wasn't a wisdom, especially the one about not trying to chew for a set time afterwards - retrieving bits of food from the area and coping with biting a chunk of inner lip wasn't fun.

It was, however, significantly better than being in pain from the abscess that had formed underneath the tooth and was beginning to make me feel extremely ill, however.

VenusTiger · 13/07/2019 12:10

@Foslady lmao 😂😂😂 in that case, take the cocaine option.... they can do what they like to your teeth 🤣🤣

Apolloanddaphne · 13/07/2019 12:12

Was it not Lidocaine rather than cocaine?

LuckyKitty13 · 13/07/2019 12:13

Cocaine is a local anaesthetic! Anything ending in -caine is.

cissyandbessy · 13/07/2019 12:16

Totally get your fear - I kept hold a a back tooth (next to wisdom tooth) due to fear of getting it taken out after bad infection after wisdom tooth extraction few years before. Explained to dentist and they were fantastic - wasn't painful except injection - recovery nowhere near what I'd thought. I'd built it up so much in my head I think but am so glad I got it done - all that pain for months for nothing! Get it out under local would be my choice.

Howzaboutye · 13/07/2019 12:18

Have a valium? You will be so spaced out you won't know what's happening!

TheFormidableMrsC · 13/07/2019 12:26

Hi OP, I've just had a bad experience with a tooth that was through no fault of my own but ended up having to have an extraction about 10 days ago. I was horrified and very upset as I have always taken great care of my teeth. However, I just wanted to reassure you about the extraction. I simply had a local anaesthetic, the actual removal was a bit of tugging but otherwise it was completely painless. Aside from feeling a bit odd, I had no pain afterwards and didn't need to take any painkillers at all. The only thing you have to be really really careful of is to avoid dry socket. So you must follow your dentist's instructions afterwards and treat the site of the extraction with extreme caution. My socket has healed up really well and you can't see the gap at all. Go for it, it's nowhere near as bad as you are imagining! Good luck!

Original poster
Foslady · 13/07/2019 12:30

Thanks everyone - certainly feeling a lot better about it all. It’s good to hear so many it’s really not that bad experiences, feeling more confident about it all now

OP posts:
VenusTiger · 13/07/2019 13:39

@TheFormidableMrsC omg dry socket is horrendous! Absolutely horrendous! It was because I was drinking through a straw for the day after the extraction and the clot dislodged!
OP you’ll be absolutely fine, no pain at all, if you follow aftercare advice - honestly, I came out of the dentist thinking “wow, I was soooo scared and that didn’t hurt a bit” fast forward two days, silly me didn’t read the advice and arghh! My whole head and neck was in so much pain. I know what pain is too, I gave birth to a frank breech baby with no pain killers 😳 so, yeah, I’m with you on dentists and the extraction was a breeze.

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