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

[Dags90]

For you Brits who aren't good at context, cavities are what you guys call caries.[footnote]That's pronounced as a homophone to "carries" right?[/footnote]

People tend to have moderate to strong opinions on dental health care, and I'd like to hear yours. Your histories, experiences, etc.

My thoughts on going to the dentist are changing quickly. Both my parents have a reasonable dislike/phobia of the dentist, and I couldn't help but be affected by that when I was younger (directly and indirectly). They also don't have the best dental hygiene. I never learned how to floss as a kid and I'm ridiculously slow at it now that I've started.

I just recently got access to dental insurance, so I'm starting to do the regular cleanings and whatnot as well as looking into repairing some chipped teeth, etc. Also, I can reasonably afford to have my impacted wisdom tooth which keeps getting infected removed. Unfortunately my dental plan only covers orthodontics for dependents, so I'm not sure of when I'll be able to reasonably afford braces and since I'm an adult I'm definitely getting the clear ones. In general, the thought of spending ~$5,000 on what is at least partly a cosmetic procedure.

 

[Kopikatsu]

I had a dentist that drilled into a tooth so deeply that the nerve was damaged, so I was in the most excruciating pain in my life for about a week. Turns out, it was so badly damaged that I had to get a root canal. But then during the root canal, they filed down the tooth above that one too far, and so that caused problems and needed a cap...

Well, I hate everyone in the medical profession because of stupid things like that. They make my life worse than it was before I went to them for anything.

Well I have never been big on the dentist. It's not like I have terrible teeth or anything I just dislike flossing and each time I go there they harp on it big time. It also doesn't help that the dentist just goes to town on my gums and I leave the place a bloody mess.

I do have to get my wisdom teeth taken out in a few weeks. It is at a terrible time too since I have my final project to present in two weeks and I start my internship after that. So it's going to be fun for the next few weeks.

I'll warn you now; having your wisdom teeth pulled will probably be one of the worst experiences in your entire life.

 

[staika]

Well I have never been big on the dentist. It's not like I have terrible teeth or anything I just dislike flossing and each time I go there they harp on it big time. It also doesn't help that the dentist just goes to town on my gums and I leave the place a bloody mess.

I do have to get my wisdom teeth taken out in a few weeks. It is at a terrible time too since I have my final project to present in two weeks and I start my internship after that. So it's going to be fun for the next few weeks.

 

[Dags90]

I'll warn you now; having your wisdom teeth pulled will probably be one of the worst experiences in your entire life.

I made my appointment because my wisdom tooth was all infected and whatnot last week. He asked me if I wanted him to try and pull it out there. And he actually said "try", and suggested that he might run into complications and have to stop mid-way because it's close to a nerve.

I'll wait for an oral surgeon kthx.

 

[sanquin]

I'm usually more nervous for check-ups than actual cavity filling. The dentist I have these days makes sure you barely feel the syringe for the sedative. It's incredible how simple it is, what he does. Yet it works wonders. Other than that he's really straight-forward and a bit pushy. Which is good, as otherwise people would probably try to stall or not take his advice to heart.

 

[Foolery]

Two of my front teeth are artificial. Knocked them out in an accident when I was snowboarding. Beyond that, I've had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled in one day. Went for milkshakes afterwards and couldn't drink properly. Kept dripping out of my mouth because of the freezing. Folks thought I was mentally challenged. Also, I still have a couple of old-school metal fillings.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

Uhg, I have to get my wisdom teeth out and I am procrastinating...so don't remind me.

I have had braces and four teeth pulled out, so I have been through a lot with the dentist. Now my teeth are straight and flawless.....yay. The Dentist is alright if the lady poking around in my mouth is entertaining. I always like when I have to sit in a chair for a long while, that the person is atleast chatty. Makes it go by faster.

 

[Leemaster777]

I'm actually a relatively fortunate guy when it comes to the dentist.

In my entire 26 years of life, I've never had a single cavity. Not once. And it's not like I have particularly excellent oral hygene (I don't even floss), I just happened to like milk ALOT as a kid, so my teeth are really, really hard (also why I've never broken a bone in my life).

By contrast, my sister has really good oral hygene... and she's had dental problems her whole life. Several cavities. Painful ones, too.

That being said, I have had to go to the dentist for major issues twice. First time, long story, I got smacked in the face with a stick, and broke one of my front teeth in half. Ended up getting a cap. Worked out in the end, as I used to have a really distracting gap in my two front teeth, and the cap got rid of that. The second time, it was one of my wisdom teeth. Now, I actually have room in my mouth for my wisdom teeth, I just got unlucky and one of them grew in sideways. That actually sucked ALOT, as it ended up getting infected, and during the extraction, the infection pushed the numbing out. So I felt the whole thing.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

My experience with dentists... my experience with dentists...


Nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Never had a cavity, but my teeth are stained. What can I say, I like my Dr. Pepper.
I've been meaning to get better teeth whitening stuff.

I also have a permanent retainer. It's a little metal bar that goes across my bottom row of teeth (canine to canine).
It makes it so I get really bad breath if I don't floss or chew gum occasionally.

I've never had a problem with dentists though.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I had a dentist that drilled into a tooth so deeply that the nerve was damaged, so I was in the most excruciating pain in my life for about a week. Turns out, it was so badly damaged that I had to get a root canal. But then during the root canal, they filed down the tooth above that one too far, and so that caused problems and needed a cap...

Well, I hate everyone in the medical profession because of stupid things like that. They make my life worse than it was before I went to them for anything.

Well I have never been big on the dentist. It's not like I have terrible teeth or anything I just dislike flossing and each time I go there they harp on it big time. It also doesn't help that the dentist just goes to town on my gums and I leave the place a bloody mess.

I do have to get my wisdom teeth taken out in a few weeks. It is at a terrible time too since I have my final project to present in two weeks and I start my internship after that. So it's going to be fun for the next few weeks.

I'll warn you now; having your wisdom teeth pulled will probably be one of the worst experiences in your entire life.

Nonsense. I just had one removed and I gotta go back and get another.

The worst bit of it is purely pyschological. Hearing my tooth crunch like cereal, and then the dentist removes a bit and I think it's over.... then he goes "Now for the roots" and in my head I'm all "Roots?"

But ya know, they shoot you full of novcane and if you feel pain at all, ask for more. The worst part is just the entire time your thinking "God when this wears off I'm going to be in a lot of pain."

But then they give you Oxycodones, and those are just... lovely lovely pills. @.@

 

[Kopikatsu]

But ya know, they shoot you full of novcane and if you feel pain at all, ask for more. The worst part is just the entire time your thinking "God when this wears off I'm going to be in a lot of pain."

But then they give you Oxycodones, and those are just... lovely lovely pills. @.@

Two problems.

1. I refuse to take any kind of pills for any reason.

2. Adrenaline-based painkillers do little to nothing for me. It also made getting back surgery SUPER PAINFUL.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

But ya know, they shoot you full of novcane and if you feel pain at all, ask for more. The worst part is just the entire time your thinking "God when this wears off I'm going to be in a lot of pain."

But then they give you Oxycodones, and those are just... lovely lovely pills. @.@

Two problems.

1. I refuse to take any kind of pills for any reason.

2. Adrenaline-based painkillers do little to nothing for me. It also made getting back surgery SUPER PAINFUL.

You poor bastard. You gotta be one tough dude, I was anxious about getting the pain meds the moment I left the dentist. When the novacain wore off it SUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDD.

 

[EvilRoy]

But ya know, they shoot you full of novcane and if you feel pain at all, ask for more. The worst part is just the entire time your thinking "God when this wears off I'm going to be in a lot of pain."

But then they give you Oxycodones, and those are just... lovely lovely pills. @.@

Two problems.

1. I refuse to take any kind of pills for any reason.

2. Adrenaline-based painkillers do little to nothing for me. It also made getting back surgery SUPER PAINFUL.

Oh man, really? Shit when I had mine surgery-ed out then put a tube in my arm and knocked me the right the hell out. Felt like I made out with death for a hour after I woke up, but man I cannot imagine having to be awake for that.

OT:
Braces are just one of those things. On one hand, yes it is cosmetic to an extent, but on the other straightened teeth are easier to clean and less likely to attract cavities in the area's you can't reach. So it's like a cost benefit for you, where you weigh the price of a % cavities you think you could avoid and the value of the appearance vs the cost of the procedure and the piss-up danger.

The wisdom tooth really should come out if its getting infected though. Its dangerous to use antibiotics too often, but left untreated you could seriously damage your whole jaw.

I definitely feel where you're coming from though. I've been humming and hawing about lasic for a while now with the same things on my mind as you brought up for braces. Having to spend money sucks.

 

[Tilted_Logic]

I've never taken issue with my orthodontist or dentist until recently. The practice was taken over by a new face, and he was offering to do surgeries (wisdom tooth removal and the like), which originally was outsourced to a different place.

Well, I had to get a wisdom tooth pulled, and the employees said he was very experienced, so I took them at their word. I did a lot of research on the procedure, what to expect with healing and all that, so I opted for a simple freezing agent instead of being put under. Well, aside from him having to refreeze me multiple times (the area just would not stay numb), it all went swimmingly and I saved a huge amount of money. He got the tooth out with no issue, and the way he made the incision meant the blood drained to the side of my mouth, so absolutely no taste of it to deal with during the process.

They proscribed some strong pain killers, which I didn't need when I left, but later that night - boy I have never felt so much pain. The pills took only minutes to work, and the next day the pain was completely gone. The day after that, the swelling was too. In comparison to a lot of other peoples' experiences, I seemed to have healed very quickly, however I now have a minor issue with the way the gum tissue healed, and I'm not sure whether or not it was due to where the incision was made, or whether it merely decided to heal that way. Essentially, my inner cheek in that area has 'attached' itself to my lower gum by the extraction site. It means it creates a little wall in the side of my mouth, and a pocket behind that where EVERYTHING gets caught. It's quite annoying having to rinse and gargle after every meal.

So my issue isn't with how the surgery went, but how I was treated after the fact when I went for a checkup concerning this little wall of cheek tissue that had formed. He and his assistant had absolutely no idea what I was talking about when I attempted mercilessly to explain it, and exploring the area he found nothing to affirm my point. There is scar tissue at the point where the cheek and gum fused, the whole area is pulled taunt. I can feel it with both my tongue and my fingers. It is there, it exists because of the surgery, and they refused to even attempt to understand what I was saying. I don't know if there is anything they could do anyway - cut the tissue and hope it reheals properly? But regardless, they insisted everything was fine and set me on my way. My surgery was only a few months ago, so I don't know if the gum tissue might eventually build up enough to nullify the effects of the 'wall', but damned if it isn't bothersome.

I have to get the rest of my wisdom teeth pulled one of these days, and their attitude has insured I will be taking my business elsewhere. Shame.

Actually edit: My orthodontist trips were so very long ago I had forgotten another story. I actually had to get braces twice as a kid. The first time when I was young and still hadn't lost all my teeth, and the second time because they didn't treat things accordingly when a new tooth was growing in (I assume they can modify the metal to accommodate) and the tooth grew in over the braces. Meaning it was much farther forward in my mouth than it should have been. So the second set was to correct that tooth.
If I hadn't been covered by insurance I think my parents would have been livid.

 

[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.

 

[Colour Scientist]

I had my first wisdom tooth out on Saturday. I have to get the second one out next week.
I've had 2 root canals in the past year, they are the worst. The absolute worst.
I have a fair few fillings, a fissure seal and one other extraction.

I'm just used to going to the dentist now.
Getting the anaesthetic needle to the roof of your mouth is definitely the most uncomfortable part!

 

[Colour Scientist]

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.

 

[ShipofFools]

I've had one cavity in all my life, and I don't recommend it.
Despite never having had any complications I am more afraid of the dentist then any other professional. No idea why.

 

[fallte]

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