But, today I have to share a personal success story: I survived the dentist today!
Okay, you need a little more background to understand why it's important to me...
I'm terrified of the dentist.
Like, scared shitless.
Terrified.
Before moving out from my parents', I had encountered two dentists. One of the regular family variety and one for braces.
The regular one was just plain useless. I was never sedated enough and by now Every. Single. Filling. he ever did has either just fallen out or had to be drilled out because an even worse cavity was forming underneath it, from not having been fixed right in the first place.
Completely useless.
The one for the braces was known among all the children in the area for being completely crazy. Everyone knew it: Even if you just went there for an assessment, you would leave with braces. No one escaped. Ever.
So of course I had to have braces too. And I suffered the headaches and shredded lips for 6 years. The result? Well, not much. Looking back I can't see why I needed them in the first place.
Oh, and my bite got too narrow after all those years (Funny how that happens when you keep tightening a brace like that! Shocker.) so I was fitted with a retainer for some years after that.
Sort of to get my teeth back to where they were before.
Like I said: I have my reasons to fear dentists.
After a while it becomes a Pavlovian response and not something you can actually control.
Today I went to the dentist to have a tooth fixed. A piece of it had fallen out some time ago and it looked and felt exactly like if someone had cut a piece out of a cake.
Of course it turned out that it was a cavity formed under the crappy work of dentist #1 which had undermined the tooth and broken off. Shocker.
It was seriously terrifying, especially since the dentist and the dental nurse said it wouldn't be easy (gulp) but I survived!
CONGRATS!!! What an amazing accomplishment!! I have had extensive time in the dentist chair, as one of my front teeth grew in completely crooked. My parents and dentist and orthodontist wanted to get my adult teeth in fast as it was causing me a speech impediment (I still have a slight lisp to this day). I had to have about 8 baby teeth pulled, and 2-3 adult teeth ---big teeth/small jaw= no room.
ReplyDeleteI was VERY lucky. I had excellent dentists. But, over time, my ability to sit still got worse and when I had to go for a root canal...that was the most traumaatic moment of my life (and, just for fun, I had to have it done a second time on the same tooth because they missed something due to severe inflammation)
The best part? My dentist is amazing. I mean, she understands anxiety and even has a questionare for people to be upfront about their fears, so she can better help you. I have to get a few fillings fixed because they are those white ones, which don't hold up to my teeth clenching as well as the silver ones.
I am SO SO sorry you had such a crappy dentist, and I am SO happy you went to a new one. Yippppeeee!!
ps--how do you wear your hair at the dentist? Every time I've gone, I've had to do an english braid and tuck to the side. Buns just don't work in dentist chairs ;)
I can much sympathize with your feelings here having a similar affliction.
ReplyDeleteSometimes people don't realize that even in a category of professionals, there is a wide variety of ability and outcomes. (translation: just because somebody is a dentist doesn't mean they are a good dentist).
I found my best one - a fellow who teaches dentistry at university. Well and some xanax before helps too. May the "floss" be with you. ;-)
You did the right thing. Rather than wait while your tooth was really damaged, you got it in front of a dentist who was able to spot the cavity and make both repairs in one visit. If you had waited too long, that cavity could have eroded away the entire tooth from the inside and left you in a position to need it pulled.
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