In tears today at the dentist. Getting a dental crown was extremely painful, even with local anesthesia...

[CTyankee]

He's a wonderful dentist, great guy, good Democrat. Never had a problem with dental pain from his procedures. He takes great care of me. But today I was in tears from the pain, even tho I had numbing anesthetic injections (which also hurt). I'm an elderly woman and cannot physically endure pain that strong.

I was going to put it off having this done but the tooth cracked again and I couldn't eat without pain and I also feared infection setting in.

Now I see why people avoid going to the dentist (my husband is one).

Is there a dentist here that can advise me? I go back in two weeks for the final crown and am planning a soft food diet as a precaution.

[multigraincracker]

1. That's what nitro gas is for.

I always ask for it and tell the dentist to turn it up to 10.
Works great for me. My insurance doesn’t cover it but the $20 out of pocket is well worth it.
Ask him for it next time.

[CTyankee]

3. I have to drive myself to and from the dentist. I fear being impaired...

[JoseBalow]

5. Nitrous wears off very quickly

You'd be fine after a short wait

[multigraincracker]

7. When they are about done,

they replace it with pure oxygen and your head clears up in a few minutes. I end up with just a little ringing in my ears. I can can drive home with no after effects.

[CTyankee]

14. Not sure I want to do that when I'm driving because of my age.

Hubby is handicapped and driving me would be a hardship for him for several reasons.

I will ask about the anesthetic, tho. He has elderly patients so he must have seen this situation before.

[snpsmom]

19. Does your county

have a transit system that allows you to call for a ride? In our rural area of Michigan, elderly folks can call the transit authority and get a small bus to pick them up and take them to and from shopping and appointments. Check with your local Human Development Agency.

[Laffy Kat]

26. They will switch the nitrous to oxygen to clear your head.

You can leave whenever you feel ready. It usually takes me a few minutes more even off the oxygen to feel "right" again, but it's soooo worth it!

[3Hotdogs]

33. Nitro gas as a general anesthetic, several hours recovery time.

In lower concentration, it wears off in seconds.

Maybe p.m. PC Intern when he posts something. He is a dentist.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. $20?! Good deal.

My old dentist used to throw it in almost for free-- I think calming me down was as much for him as for me.
The guy who took over the practice charges a lot more than $20, though I don't recall the number.

[multigraincracker]

12. Yep, the first thing I noticed

was I wasn’t squeezing the arm rest with my hands. You remain relaxed the whole time.

[Shermann]

16. I have them turn it up to 11

I'm on the None More Black Cross and None More Black Shield health care plan.

[NoSheep]

2. Cracked tooth...you likely had an infection that should have been treated by anti-biotics BEFORE any dental work?

Is it possible in your case?
I got 9 shots of Novocain at an emergency dentist before I realized they couldn't numb me and I bolted out of the chair and ran from the office. I had an infection. Cracked tooth is an easy way to get a deep infection that is very painful and must be treated before you get any work done. 2 times this happened and I learned my lesson.

I am so sorry you are going through this. I have been through hell with dental work.

[CTyankee]

6. I am sure he would have detected an infection. He had worked on this tooth before (root canal) so he knew what was going

on. the only reason I didn't take care of it earlier was that my insurance wouldn't cover the crown. It's $1,000. So I initially had decided not to do it, but when I literally cracked my tooth I decided it was best to spend the money and get it fixed.

[rsdsharp]

4. I'm with your husband. My childhood dentist was 6'7",

and didn’t believe in novocaine.

Scarred me for life!

[Joinfortmill]

13. I had one of those bastards as a kid.

Sick phuck.

[Bayard]

30. My Dad took us to a dentist like that

He used to tell us--with that high speed drill they have now, you hardly feel anything. Wrong! I remember being in 1st or 2nd grade, crying, and squirming in the dentist chair enough to wet my pants.

[Jilly_in_VA]

20. My childhood dentist didn't either

I don't understand it for the life of me. He numbed adults. My mom got numbed, but I didn't. Bastard. As a result, between him and my orthodontist (who I swear trained at Auschwitz Dental Academy!) I have severe dental phobia. I found a dentist I like and trusted here and then his office went corporate and they seemed to feel I could see just anyone....and he moved to an office over an hour away. Just about that time I had gotten a card announcing that a new dentist was opening an office ten minutes away. I had met him briefly at a RAM clinic where I was volunteering in the dental clinic and I liked him, so I became one of his patients. He recently got a partner but I made it clear that he's the only one I'll see. He knows I'm hard to numb and terrified of dentists and he takes extra care with me.

[Laffy Kat]

27. I had the same experience. That's the way it was back in the day.

I've never forgotten the pain. The only way I can have dental work now is with nitrous oxide on top of the Novocain. They'll put you on the nitrous first and you will still "feel" the shots, but it won't bother you.

[rsdsharp]

29. I had three of my wisdom teeth pulled about 30 years ago.

I had Novocaine, nitrous AND liquid valium. He said “Open wide,” and then I woke up with fewer teeth. That wasn’t bad.

Ten years before that, the first wisdom tooth was pulled. It was broken, and I only had Novocaine and nitrous. I still have the image of the dentist’s bright blue eyes as he was swinging a probe into my tooth — multiple times — to break it up.

No mas.

[pamdb]

8. best recipe for crown

I get gas

Then novocaine-the shot is the worst part of the whole thing.

Then more gas

Then I get earbuds and can crank up the music to avoid hearing the drill

And keep the gas going until almost the end.

Best way to do it.

[CTyankee]

9. I will discuss this with him for my follow up. Thanks!

[Joinfortmill]

15. I had a dentist that had me raise my hand if

I felt any pain (not the sadist I mentioned above). If I did, he gave me more novacine. I don't think the injections are an exact science. Best of luck

[enid602]

17. Crown

On the day he puts on the crown, he’ll simply pop it on (to make sure it’s a good fit), pop it off, and glue it up and pop it back on. No novocaine needed. I’m not a dentist, but have a mouthful of crowns. Many re-crowned teeth as well. Good luck to you; sounds like you’re that one in a million that had such a rough time.

[CTyankee]

18. I'm old and can't handle pain very well. I'm sure there are others who can't handle pain well, either.

You just haven't known them, but then how could you?

I hope it goes the way you say it will. My experience doesn't bode well, tho.

[Desert grandma]

23. My daughter is hyper dental pain averse

She sees a dentist that does IV Sedation for almost any dental work for those type of patients. It does require she have someone take her and pick her up. I am not quite that bad. In spite of the fact that I have had a lot of dental work done. I am OK with using nitrous gas for most dental work. Good luck!! By the way, you might be able to get dental insurance for any future work. Hubby and I have 2 policies so we do not end up paying a lot for implants or crowns. If he is a veteran, check out the listing in the Veterans folder for information. Metlife VADIP has no waiting period for major work. If he is not, you can still get coverage with AARP dental plan or Spirit Dental. Waiting period before major dental work vary for those.
www.spiritdental.com They offer plans for individuals
www.aarp.org They also have plans for individuals. You need to join AARP.

[Jilly_in_VA]

21. Mine

makes the crown right in his office with a 3-D printer. No waiting, no temporary. It takes almost no time at all and I'm very happy with mine. He's replacing an old one fairly soon, one that's been in there for about 30 years. Shouldn't be a major problem but he promised he'd numb me anyway because he knows how I am.

[enid602]

22. Temp

Not having a temporary will be a bonus. No having to return for a new temp if you accidentally break the first one.

[beaglelover]

24. I don't understand having pain if you were injected with novacaine. Did he not offer to give you more since you

were feeling it? I usually never feel any pain, just pressure, when they are drilling.

[CTyankee]

36. I was embarrassed by my reaction. I felt I should have been stronger and not waste his time.

[Big Blue Marble]

25. Did you tell him how much it was hurting to treat your tooth?

Do you still have a nerve in that tooth i.e. it has not had a root canal treatment. if so, it maybe that the nerve is inflamed
and possibly infected. Or your dentist could have been drilling very close to the nerve. Any infection may not yet show
on an X-ray. It is sometimes impossible to numb a tooth that inflamed. Or you may just have needed a more profound anesthetic.

If your tooth nerve is only inflamed, it may calm down on its own. It has been through the trauma of
the crack and needs time to recover.

Be sure your dentist knows what happened. He may recommend root canal treatment prior to placing your crown
if the pain continues.

[CTyankee]

34. He already did a root canal on that tooth. I trust his judgment. I had a bad reaction to this procedure.

I am not angry with him. This experience just revealed to me how aging has affected my ability to withstand pain. A lack of stamina that I used to pride myself on.

I go back in two weeks and for that time he wants me not to be careful and eat softer foods, so I went to the store and stocked up on yogurt.

[Elessar Zappa]

38. Don't be embarrassed!

Next time, just inform him of your pain tolerance and don’t be afraid to ask for nitrous oxide and extra novocaine if necessary.

[BlueKota]

28. Sorry you went through that.

[elleng]

31. Check with PCIntern, Yank.

[Aussie105]

32. I'm so glad this is mostly behind me.

I only had a root canal done once. It set off the tooth next to it and left me with continuous pain afterwards.

After many decades of dental pain and treatment, I got tough on myself - had the remainder top teeth taken out, got fitted for top dentures.
And a couple of bottom teeth went at the same time.
Got sick of developing problems regularly and needing to spend more money.

If you think about it, that's the way most of us old people end up anyway. Inevitable.

My father got the full plastics at 35, I'm double that age plus a bit more.
So I'm doing ok there.

Very few dentists will take a look and tell you the best long term solution is to take a lot out.
Took some convincing that is what I really wanted.
I guess dentists like their steady repeat visit income and don't feel your pain.

[AKwannabe]

35. I had a tooth pulled yesterday

Bummer but I am not spending any more time in chair or money on it.

It wasn’t ready to be pulled. Doc had a time of it. My jaw and jaw bone are quite painful
Thanks for listening. Haha

I FEEL ya!

[CTyankee]

37. OMG, that's awful!

Honestly, I don't know why anyone would want to be a dentist. Surely, it can't be gratifying if the help you give people when you treat them involves giving them screeching pain. I felt sorry for my dentist because I know he doesn't want to cause me pain.