Just had my first cavities filled, what's your experience with dentists?

[Roxor]

Sometimes they can do fillings without needing anaesthetic. If so, do it then and there. The one time I needed a local anaesthetic, my energy was completely wiped out for the next two weeks.

If a local anaesthetic can do that, I really, really, really hope I never need a general anaesthetic for any reason.

I would never get one without anaesthetic. That would be awful. I've never known anyone to have that effect from it. Everyone's different I suppose but I imagine your reaction is a pretty rare one.

The ones where they don't need the anaesthetic don't hurt. They do feel a bit strange for a few hours afterwards, but you'll be back to normal by the next day.

The problem with anaesthetics seems to be something which runs in the family. According to Mum, there are quite a few relatives on her side of the family who don't handle anaesthetics well.

 

[wintercoat]

I once had a dentist laugh at me for being needle shy. Literally laugh at me. And most of my other experiences weren't much better. I swear, some dentists only became one in order to legally inflict copious amounts of pain and suffering on others.

My most recent run-ins with dentists pertaining to getting my last two wisdom teeth out were pretty good, though. Nice, polite, made me feel comfortable. Didn't laugh at me for being needle shy. Almost makes me not hate dentists.

 

[Greg White]

Had a few cavities filled, but can't say I've ever had any issues with dentists, them asking me if I want to have my wisdom teeth pulled aside.

I hear all these horror stories from time to time, but can't say I've ever met anyone who suffered through any of them.

 

[Ratties]

There is a huge party when I go to the dentist. As soon as I come in the door, the music starts. Then the ladies behind the desk start dancing around. The dentist comes out in a suit, holding a cane with a tooth at the end of it. I sit in the chair, as he begins to sing sweet nothings in my ear. Then he gives me some illegal drugs, I am out like a light. When I wake up, I am on a bed with 1 million dollars lying next to me.

Of course going to the dentist sucks, who here is going to have a positive story, lol.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

I tend to stay away from dentists as much as possible. I do get and dig the frilly tooth cleaning lady. She's fun and makes my teeth sparkle, with no pain and only very little discomfort. I like that.

Just went through my first root canal experience. Whenever I absolutely need to get something fixed, I prefer to lend myself to students. They're motivated, comparably cheap and I haven't had any issues with them or their skills so far. Some glitches, but they were fixed free of charge with no lasting debilitating effects on me or my shiny shinies.

Captcha: uncle leo?

wtf, captcha? WTF?

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Being a dentist myself I have to tell you American folks that in other parts of the world dentists cannot prescribe your vicodins and oxycontins for the littlest thing and people have to go on aspirin after tooth extraction. Also most fillings are done without local anesthesia, even the bigger ones. Just to give you some perspective next time you decide to whine about your awful experience

Knowing myself, it would be very silly for me not to get local anesthesia when I'm about to get hurt. I'd probably gouge their eyes out without local mellow happy juice. It's just better with an extra layer of keeping the ***** and the beast leashed and muzzled and under control.

 

[fallte]

Well sometimes I know that preparing a cavity will take me 3 minutes for which I have to give my patient an injection that will have their mouth numb for hours, not to mention that they usually complain of pain in the injection area. Sometimes it's just not worth it to save yourself five minutes of discomfort.

 

[Gatx]

The most pleasant dental procedure I ever had in my life was a root canal. Aside from the initial novacain injection, which stung, I was pleasantly numb for more or less the entire process. Didn't feel a thing, well maybe a little tugging and some pressure here and there but overall completely painless.

 

[Arbi Trax]

I once dated an Italian dental student. She was stunning and loved me, and I blew it by being jealous.

WHY GOD WHY?

Teeth are more or less ok.

 

[piinyouri]

I couldn't really tell you, I was giggling like a schoolgirl watching as a man in white cut two of my teeth out of my head and I didn't feel a thing. (that day...)

My experience is "GIVE ME THE FUCKING GAS OR I WILL CROWN YOU."

 

[quinquecirrha]

Wow. Am I the only one here who actually likes the dentist? I mean, not "likes" like I'm spending my spare time there, but I don't have any problems with them either. Of course, this is likely because, when I was very young, my mother worked at a local dentist's office. She quit when I was about two, but for the rest of my life going to the dentist was like visiting distant relatives. They would all recognize us, talk about how much I'd grown, etc. It helped to make me more comfortable around them, so it wasn't just some stranger with her fingers in my mouth.

Also, there were a few arcade cabinets in the waiting room to keep the kids quiet. Honestly, the biggest reason I like the dentist is because it brings up memories of Captain America and the Avengers.

I've had braces, wisdom teeth removed, and a few cavities, same as everyone else. The wisdom teeth weren't bad, although there were some unpleasant moments, thanks to my fear of needles. The braces were probable the worst, simply because of how long I had them.

I also had my first seizure at the dentist. I don't remember much, just blacked out and woke up in another room. It terrified the dental assistant checking my teeth at the time, though. It was probably worse for her than it was for me. Anyway, I can't really blame the dentist for that, so I'm not counting it against them.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

I don't have any cool dentist stories. But one time my friends dentist accidentally punched him in the mouth, that was funny.

 

[JetFury]

Hmm how do I go about payment for myself. No idea how to deal with insurance, do I just pay up front or wait til after I come out.

 

[Nouw]

I've never had a single unpleasant experience with a dentist, don't even have braces, so I love dentist trips. I find them to be a sensual experience.

 

[DementedSheep]

I use to have bracers (not for very long though thankfully). My dentist liked to talk about politics and seem actually expect an answer a lot of time which is a bit hard to do with his hand in mouth. For the longest time I didn't know what he looked like because always had a mask whenever I saw him then one day I had his random guy windsurfing at the beach who stated waving at me and I later realize it was him. Nice guy, strange but nice.

 

[Madgamer13]

I've seen the dentist quite a few times in my life, I even had a large and clean cavity filled without any painkiller applied. Not a problem at all.

I am uncomfortable with both needles and drills, but I ride it out with whatever courage I have when I need them, since I know how painful a drill can be. I've had root canals done on my teeth before, but luckily I havn't had to deal with any pain because the nerves had already died inside the teeth in question.

My more amusing experiences is two of my front teeth's nerves dying within a week of eachother, which my dentist said was relatively uncommon for my area, as well as needing to get seven teeth out in one sitting. I needed to go to a dental surgeon practice to get those seven out, but it didn't just stop there. The surgeon decided it would be a great opportunity for newly studied dentists to get some practice in. I was given two options: I could either have a local painkiller, or I could be knocked out.

I chose to be knocked out and wisely too, I heard that the students snapped quite a few of my teeth when taking them out, they also did a number on my gums. For my trouble, I got 50% off my surgery and my remaining teeth are good, solid and in place, as well as my gums healing up well after.

Fear for the dentist kind of fails when you begin to understand the differences in depths of experience.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I used to be terrify of the dentist when I was little (all I can say I ate way too many sweets as a kid). Heck when they had to drill and removed some of my teeth, I flip out that they put on the sleeping mask on me to calm me down (well fallen asleep).
I eventually conquer my fear when I needed to wear braces (had the molars removed).
These days I have a check out twice per year and so far the dentist say they are in good condition despite my fear everytime I ate something very sugary. I know for sure that one of my teeth is slowly forming plaque.

 

[teqrevisited]

About 8 years ago I had to have a couple of fillings. I must've got the dentist with the itchiest trigger finger for the drill. The evil Austrian I call him. He didn't listen to anything that I tried to say. I think he got his practitioner's license revoked after loads of people complained about him but I've not been back since.

 

[IndomitableSam]

I have receding gums. So, so much fun. I didn't have many cavaties until I was older, but as my gums recede, I'm starting to get moe, obviously. Which sucks and has made me afraid of the dentist. I don't go for regular cleanings, which I should book soon, as my mouth is terribly sensitive. My mouth is in okay shape, but a few spots are pretty bad for sensitivity.

I've had a dry socket before, had all my wisdom teeth pulled individually. Dry socket means you lose the clot so the bone and nerves are exposed to all te fun stuff in your mouth and the dentist has to pack it with herbs and such. It's agonizing. I had mine during my final exams for library school. So, so much fun.

My dentist is wonderful, though. Even didn't charge me for some work he did on me when I was unemployed. But my mother has had terrible teeth since she was pregnant with us (twins fuck up your teeth badly), so my parents have spent tens of thousands of dollars, so he'll be able to retire nicely.