Dental anxiety with no sedation

[teethyteethteeth]

Hi, not an AIBU but posting for traffic.

I'm due to have some dental treatment in a couple of weeks. This is based on the fact that I have mile to moderate gum disease. One session will be deep clean and root planing of half the mouth, plus a filling (my first ever!). The second session, yet to be booked, is deep clean and root planing on the other half of the mouth. I will be having a local anaesthetic for the procedures.

The dentist (private) is unwilling to do everything in one session, I phoned them back to ask about this. I have a panic disorder so this is a bit annoying and I will feel more stressed knowing I have to go back a second time. Unfortunately they're not going to budge on it.

Likewise, I asked about sedation as I'd rather be unaware of the treatments as much as possible. They said I wouldn't be able to have it for this. I know they have sedation available because they use it for dental implant patients. It also annoyed me a little because I'm paying upwards of 600 pounds for treatment and would have been happy to pay extra for sedation. I can't be bothered arguing with them however. Of course there may be the option of going back to NHS and getting a referral, or finding a clinic willing to do it, but I'm not in a fit state to do any travelling to different clinics right now and I don't want to deal with long waiting lists either - I think I'd rather get it over with.

So, I'm just asking if anyone has any tips for getting through a long dental treatment that's likely to be painful and uncomfortable (hopefully not too much of the former with the local anaesthesia).

Does anyone have any positive stories of root planing and getting a filling without being drowsy? Is it very bad? The thought of just lying there aware of it all for hours is not very appealing! The dentist has already said I can bring music, etc. I considered getting valium from the GP but there's no way I'll get in to see them before my dental appointment!

I’ve not had the treatment you detail but I was a very nervous patient.

I would suggest you get a new dentist. Mine specialise I’m nervous patients. I went from needing someone to go with me for a check up to solo root canal because of their kindness and patience.

A good dentist will treat you as an individual and will work with you on a treatment plan to get the best results in a way that works for you both.

I had a root canal and a couple of other things done recently in a 2 hour session. I also wanted to be sedated but it’s just not the done thing now (I was private too).

It was a genuinely fine, even pleasant experience! I took my iPod planned which funny podcasts I was goi g to listen to, lay back, turned it up and shut my eyes. Agreed with dentist I would lift my left hand to ask a question and he would touch my right arm to ask me anything.

I’ve had some real issues with going to dentist in the past but this experience really sorted me out!

My last dentist specialised in nervous patients and did offer sedtion for some stuff

I literally just had the first session of what you described, the next one is Friday. I hadn't been to the dentist for 8yrs as I was so scared but I found a really lovely practice that specialise in nervous patients and they are brilliant.
Honestly is not painful at all, you can hardly feel the injections, it's just very weird not being able to feel half your face. I was told I could have as many breaks as I wanted and it would take 45mins. I didn't need any breaks and it was done in 20 minutes.
The worse thing for me was the occasionally squeaky drill noise and the loss of feeling in my face for hours afterwards but I had no pain at all. My gums were only a little sore the next day.
As I said the other half of my face is being done on Friday and I'm not bothered at all, actually looking forward to getting it all done and dusted.

Oh, thank you for the good stories already! That makes me feel much better.

I'm a new patient with this dentist and he's kind and I like him well enough so I don't really feel the need to switch (plus a lot of personal upheaval at the moment so don't really have time). I at least feel better knowing other people have happily had it done without sedation; I guess I will load up some tunes and hope it goes ok!

Go to the GP and getvthe to prescribe diazepam for the two sessions. Mine always used to be fine about it. Takes the edge off.

IV sedation isn't used for longer procedures as it "runs out" ... you could ask for diazepam, they should prescribe that and if not a GP can. It's not as "out of it" as IV but has a similar effect. Unless the reason is they need you to be responsive, then sedation of any kind isn't ideal.