My baby teeth are falling out..... at 37! Help me!

[thestuffofnightmares]

I have had 2 baby teeth canines my whole life. Previous dentists have seen them and not done too much and I haven't been to a dentist for about 18 months, mainly because I am absolutely shit scared of them. Also my dentist is neither friendly or warm and that doesn't help me at all. Anyway, about 3 months ago the whole of the top of of them fell out leaving a kind of jaggy root and the other is at the stage where it is so wobbly it is going to fall out soon. The unfriendly dentist said that I would probably need screw in teeth and that to me, like my name, is the stuff of nightmares. I am terrified. My face looks awful. I know I have to go to the dentist but I am freaking out. Can I ask whether anyone else has had this happen to them and what happened? Is getting screw in teeth sore? Will I have to get a proper operation? To be honest I would rather be asleep through it. Will it cost? Can I change my horrible dentist without too much fuss? Help! I'm literally living my own private teeth nightmare at the moment - I have dreams about my teeth falling out all the time...

You poor thing. of course you can change your dentist. As for someone very gentle and patient and say the current one is making you anxious. He needs the feedback

I was speaking to my dentist about maybe needing one in the future and she said they are currently about £2000 each.

Get another dentist, and start saving for implants - they are great, I have two for the same reason.

Sympathies, OP, I have been having a dental nightmare of late so feel your pain.

Yes, change dentist. I am a horribly nervous, anxious patient and mine is so kind, I wish you could see her - I say mentally in my head when I'm in there "I am a hundred percent confident in this person" over and over again like a mantra. Implants are only available privately, so there should be no issue with moving to another surgery.

Implants are expensive but great, just like your own teeth. I forget I have one. You need to keep them very clean (I use an interdental brush) but aside from that the maintenance is just like your own teeth. My dentist does financing too so you can pay it off interest-free over a year.

Having the implants might be disturbing for you if you have anxiety about dental procedures but 1) they can sedate you, 2) the implant bit itself is not painful, just a bit sore for a day or two around the little gum incision if I remember correctly. It was the extraction that hurt! And you're already ok for that part.

PS. And yes, change your dentist! Mine has a dvd player so you can watch comedy dvds while you have work done. And they are all lovely and kind. There's always a lot of pleasant chitchat. See if you can find someone who specialises in fearful patients.
Good luck!

thanks so much for this everyone - I was having a major panic attack there. The mean dentist is actually a woman - she's not really all that mean, more cold with a hint of judgement. The other one has now fallen out ( I have no idea when or where) and now I'm, erm, symetrical it doesnt look as bad for some reason. I think I'll change dentist and get a bit of advice from hopefully a nice new one.

PS the thought of 4 grand for 2 teeth has made me consider implants a great deal more carefully! Cold dentist said something like because I don't have adult teeth underneath and she supposed it wasn't my fault, I would probably get implants on the NHS, but I think I would still have to pay something towards them.