Ugh... Dentist in a couple of hours...

[K Frame]

Nico,

Thanks for the rundown.

What am I nervous about? I'm nervous about the thought of having one of my teeth yanked from my skull!

I've had one tooth out under a local, and it wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't horrible. That was in the 1980s.

It's the thought more than anything.

Still, I recognize the need to get this tooth issue resolved, as it's not going to get better on its own.

[280plus]

It'll be all over before you know it...

[AmbulanceDriver]

Mike, I'd definitely look into the oral conscious sedation.  At least ask if it's something your dentist performs (not all of them do).  Like I said, I *slept* through having three teeth extracted (two wisdom teeth and a badly broken tooth).  Doc did give me a script for vicodin, but I had a couple left from my last bout of kidney stones.  I took those two in the first 8 hours after the procedure, and then after that was on 800mg of ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, slowly tapering down to 400mg over the next couple days.  And then got nitrous for the other couple of fillings I needed done...

 

[nico]

nico, when he was finished, he mentioned something about bone fragments that he couldn't remove, but he didn't think they'd cause me any problem.  Is that normal?

Yup, that happens sometimes.  Usually your body will just push the the bone/tooth to the surface in a day or two, but it it possible for it to get infected or cause inflammation.  The idea is that digging around to get the last couple pieces of bone/tooth can do more harm than good, since it increased damage to the tissue

Nico,

Thanks for the rundown.

What am I nervous about? I'm nervous about the thought of having one of my teeth yanked from my skull!

haha, I didn't mean to get all psychological on you.  It's just that one of the things we're taught to do when a patient is really nervous about treatment is try to get them to think about what, specifically, they're nervous about.  That helps the dentist to alleviate the issue (ie: if they don't like the noise, let them wear headphones), but it can also make some people realize that there isn't anything specific they're worried about, which makes them less anxious.

I've had one tooth out under a local, and it wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't horrible. That was in the 1980s.

It's the thought more than anything.

Yeah, getting a tooth extracted isn't the most pleasant experience, but if you saw it done you'd be amazed at how simple it is.  You basically pry the tooth out of the socket a little bit then pull it out with a pair of pliers.

Still, I recognize the need to get this tooth issue resolved, as it's not going to get better on its own.

This is good.  I can't express how frustrating it is to have patients who a) don't understand why there's something wrong with their mouth after not going to a dentist for 30 years and/or b) don't think they need treatment when they have serious problems.  My girlfriend is a dental student too, and she has a patient now who has 10 teeth that are so loose you might be able to pull them out with her fingers.  The lady had agreed to having them extracted and getting a denture.  Then she talked to her daughter, who says she has "strong teeth," and now the lady doesn't understand why the teeth need to be pulled.

I don't remember the drugs used for oral sedation off the top of my head, but I'll look it up later and let you guys know

[K Frame]

Let me tighten it up a little further for you, Nico...

I'm afraid of the possibility of pain. Dental pain is the absolute worst, and I've had more than my fair share of it over the years. Most of my actual dental work experiences have been pain free, but a couple have been excruciating for one reason or another.

I'm afraid of the possibility of something going wrong and it becomes a far more invasive procedure. Not as likely.

Last thing is related, but yet unrelated. My Dad died a year ago today, and that's working on me, as well.

It's the emotional vs. the rational.

Rational says no, the shots in the mouth aren't going to be fun, but you've had them before, they're over in a few seconds and then it's no feeling for the rest of the afternoon, and besides, do your relaxation techniques that have served you so well in the past and you'll be fine.

Emotional? Well, it's clinging to the ceiling going AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

[Bogie]

Mikey, call the quack's office, and tell them you want 15 mg of diazepam. Go to the pharmacy. Get it. Eat it. Have someone else drive you around, and wipe the drool off your chin occasionally.
 

[Brad Johnson]

..and wipe the drool off your chin occasionally.

I thought Mike had to do that anyway.



Brad

[nico]

Mike, assuming you don't have heath issues that would cause complications, I think you would be a decent candidate for oral sedation. 

The most common drugs used for oral sedation are Valium (mainly for anxiety), Halcion, Versed (both produce amnesia), Ambien, Atarax/Vistaril, and Phenergan.  I think Versed is what's generally being used in the sketchy ads you hear claiming you can take a pill and wake up when your treatment is done.  You aren't actually going to sleep, you just don't remember the procedure.  A general dentist can't legally prescribe any pills that will really put you to sleep.

[Bogie]

Heh... I've got a shooting bud who passes gas... Camping trips get interesting. He always threatens to dose me with versed, and then take incriminating pictures.
 

[charby]

Well I'm off to my crown prep. One of the dental assistants is very attractive, I hope she is assisting today.

[K Frame]

OK, I'm back.

The anticipation was, as with most things, bad.

The procedure wasn't terrible, but it wasn't pleasant. The pressure and cracking was bizarre in the extreme. I was involuntarily moving my head, the nurse had to grab me.

That office doesn't do oral sedation. She shot the living hell out of me with xylocaine. That shot on the inside of the tooth in the hard palate stings like a mother, but I didn't feel anything.

The doctor (a woman) had all the bedside manner of a zombie. The nurse, however, was fantastic. More than made up for the Doctor's lack of personality.

I got a good look at the tooth when it was out of my mouth. Given the size of the cavity on the back side I simply do not see how I wasn't in excruciating pain. It was huge.

I've got one dissolving stitch.

The local is starting to wear off, but I just took a vicodin and my first dose of zithro in me. I'll wait about two hours and then take 800 mg of ibuprofen.

[roo_ster]

I prefer to take double the OTC dosage (equal to Rx strength) of Aleve/naproxen sodium for that sort of pain.  Ibuprofen is good, but NS is better, in my experience.

[seeker_two]

The doctor (a woman) had all the bedside manner of a zombie.

Check your braincase.......

[K Frame]

I prefer to take double the OTC dosage (equal to Rx strength) of Aleve/naproxen sodium for that sort of pain.  Ibuprofen is good, but NS is better, in my experience.

I have that, as well, but NS really works on my stomach.

Local is almost totally worn off.

Woo am I getting sore! Thank God for narcotics...

[charby]

I prefer to take double the OTC dosage (equal to Rx strength) of Aleve/naproxen sodium for that sort of pain.  Ibuprofen is good, but NS is better, in my experience.

I have that, as well, but NS really works on my stomach.

Local is almost totally worn off.

Woo am I getting sore! Thank God for narcotics...

I'm back also, Doc had to dig in my gums also. I'm going to be sore when the local wears off, I also hate the taste of burnt teeth in my mouth. The clove flavored cement to hold the temporary crown on doesn't help either, spicy burnt tooth taste.. yeech.

[Scout26]

I'm immune to -caine meds. So going to the dentist involves "finding my happy place" while the dentist uses a hammer drill to replace fillings. Mine apparently only need to be replaced when he needs to make a payment on his Mercedes.

I got all four wisdom teeth pulled at the same time under sedaition.  Not a problem, went to work at Airborne Express the next day on vicodin.  I would and apparently did agree to anything that my union drivers (705 Chicago Independent Teamsters) suggested, until my boss pulled me off the sort and had me do meaningless work for the rest of that day.

"Mr. A-Hole in Pain" came to work the next day and quickly undid what "Mr. Happy Drugs" had agreed to the day before. 

"We liked you better when you were on vicodin."   

[Larry Ashcraft]

So you're still here, eh, Mike?

High five! 

It's never fun.  I've got another no fun story to tell, but I'll put it in a separate thread.

[K Frame]

Yep, I'm still here.

Bleeding has pretty much stopped, and the pain is more of a dull ache. There are periods when there isn't any pain at all, which is good. I've just taken another vicodin, and I expect that and the Aleve will get me through the night no problem.

[El Tejon]

I love going to the dentist.  I love getting the pat on the head for flossing properly.

[Brad Johnson]

I love going to the dentist.  I love getting the pat on the head for flossing properly.

Wierdo.

Brad

[Perd Hapley]

Yeah, flossing is for perverts.  Eww.  But, then, my teeth are a little close-set. 

[El Tejon]

I'm not a wierdo; I'm just a Yankee.

Wait . . . oh, I see, same thing to you.

fist, you need those floss sword things at Wal-greens.  They really allow you to get leverage on your flossing.

[K Frame]

I had two teeth that were too tight; I couldn't get floss between them.

That's now no longer an issue as one of the ones that was too tight was the one that was taken out on Friday.

[charby]

I had two teeth that were too tight; I couldn't get floss between them.

That's now no longer an issue as one of the ones that was too tight was the one that was taken out on Friday.

Lose a few more teeth and you can tell everyone you're from West Virginia.

-C

[K Frame]

Well, this is the second one that's left the building...