Due to a lot of issues that include childhood abuse (don’t ask) and lack of insurance and/or extra money, my dental care has been very spotty for years. I brush my teeth, and I floss, but I need a lot of work. But I’m terrified of the dentist; terrified of him being in my mouth, terrified of the pain, terrified of being lectured about my lack of dental care. But in the next few months, we should have wonderful insurance, and I’ve been hearing a lot about sedation dentistry; pain free, anxiety free and no lecturing is what they promise. And I think, hey, I could do that. So who’s had it done? What’s it like?
Another concern is that I had a procedure done last year under conscious sedation, and while I’m given to understand that most people feel like they’ve slept through the procedure when they have conscious sedation, I still recall like, 90% of it.
So what gives?
Oh, btw, in case you’re interested in lecturing me on why dental care is important, how I must have it done whether I’m terrified or not, etc., just skip it. I’m not stupid. I know this stuff; lecturing will not be productive. Thanks.
My wife had to have a lot of work done on her teeth a couple years ago, as well. Welsh teeth.
My insurance from work would not cover being put out completely, and it was tough to find a dentist that 1) accepted my insurance and b) would knock her out.
I like that “no lecturing” part. They gave the wife a great deal of grief about it. IIRC, dentists prefer to have you somewhat conscious so that they can ask you a question if necessary, but my wife has anxiety attacks and would not go through the procedure w/o general sedation. Every dentist should have a lecture/no lecture option.
To the question, she remembered nothing, including stopping on the way home for a milkshake. She slept most of the rest of the day when we got home, and was given plenty of pain killers.
Casey, how did they knock her out? I did some googling, and it seems that some places use pills, and others IV drugs. By the time I have the dental work done, I’ll most likely have an IV port, so that’s not that big of a deal, but if it’s the same IV drugs I had that surgical procedure done under, well, I think I’d prefer the pills.
I went to the dentist yesterday for a molar extraction. My tooth had cracked off at the gumline and I had an abcess. I was in agony and had no money for a dentist. So I went on the internet.
I found my doctor through 1800dentist.com and cross-referenced him through ezpaydental.com. He and his staff were great. Nobody lectured me on my hygeine or how I hadn’t been to a dentist in forever. (I have no dental insurance. And I’m a bigger coward than that lion in Wizard of Oz.)
The best part was the EZ pay plan. You may want to look into that. Then you won’t have to wait until your dental insurance kicks in.
I’m not here to advertise for them but let me say that I only paid $39 and will have a low payment plan with 0% APR until the procedure is all paid for. If I default, they hold me down and put the tooth back in.
As for sedative (sed-a-give?!) they used a local on a swab and then gave me a needle full of something that kept me numb for 3.5 hours. I was awake and aware the whole time but never felt any pain, only pressure. In fact, I didn’t even realize when he was done. Having my eyes shut may have had something to do with that.
Good luck! I hope this helped you!
Davmi
I was completely out for a couple of nasty extractions, but that was with an oral surgeon doing the work. Not sure if any dentists will go that route. An IV was started and I was given Valium and Versed. It’s important that they have the tools to resuscitate you, if necessary. And with those drugs on board, you need to have a heart monitor on as well. So for routine dental work, I suppose your best bet is to hope for a kind dentist with a gentle hand, and lots of oral sedation. I hear you about the trauma of dentistry, I am a big chicken when it comes to my teeth. Just the smell and the sounds of a dental office makes me want to run in the opposite direction.
I’m not sure how they put her out. I don’t recall seeing any IV marks, so I’m guessing a nurse snuck up behind her and conked her over the head with a frying pan.
Seriously, I think it was gas. I never asked, but since I never saw IV needle marks, it seems like a logical assumption.
davmilisav, thanks for the info! But we really expect that hubby will have an offer letter about a Fed job by the end of this month; he should be working for them by the end of January, and we’ll have insurance by the end of February. One of the reasons I want to put off the dental work is that I have other medical stuff that takes precedence over the dental. Also, I really, really want to go with sedation dentistry. Again, it has as much to do with childhood trauma as fear of pain.
Casey, as far as the insurance is concerned, not only is Fed employee insurance top-notch, but we’ll get to choose the plan we want. Given the amound of medical attention I need, we’ll get the insurance that pays for everything!
This combo, plus some Dilaudid was the combo I had for the surgical procedure I mentioned earlier; I wasn’t in any tremendous pain, but I was certainly aware, and while this stuff makes over 90% of patients forget that the whole thing ever happened, I am one of the unlucky few for whom it doesn’t work that way. But thanks for the input!
Ah, the old “sneak up behind 'em and conk 'em with a frying pan” trick! I am notorious for being damned near impossible to get an IV into (that’s why I’ll be getting a port soon). But, as I said, since I’ll have the port, if I choose the IV route, it won’t be that big of a deal. It’s just a matter of finding drugs that will work to really knock me out, since the Valium/Versed/Dilaudid combo didn’t do it.
I had my wisdom teeth out under conscious sedation at an oral surgeon’s office – or at least so they claim, I don’t remember any of it after they asked me if the far wall was starting to look “weird.” They used IV Demerol, which apparently has a side effect of preventing you from forming memories. Convenient, that.
I started my dental journey very, very phobic. And, aparently common to redheads, somewhat hard to numb. My dentist offered me anti-anxiety meds for routine procedures, but it never quite came to that – she talked me down an awful lot though. She helped me by doing “easy” procedures first and building up my confidence over a period of months until I could handle the “harder” procedures (the ones that are more invasive, more uncomfortable, or take longer). After a period of years, I was able to deal well enough that I had a root canal with “only” nitrous plus 3 shots of novacaine spaced out over 15 minutes. I am *really
I think if you want true general anaesthesia as opposed to conscious sedation in its various forms, you should have your procedures done at a hospital with a licensed anesthesiologist. JMHO.
Oh, I don’t necessarily want a general. I just want something where I won’t freak and go into a full-blown panic attack, and where I won’t be in pain. I don’t particularly care if I know what’s going on, as long as the anxiety can be addressed. Oh, and did I mention I don’t want a lecture?
Amen! When I went to the dentist for the first time in several years, I asked the receptionist if the dentist would lecture me. I’m not sure if she put it on my chart not to lecture me, or if the dentist and hygienist were just smart enough to figure out on their own that lecturing me would probably be counterproductive. I have enough social anxiety that a lecture from the dentist would probably result in my not going back for several years again…
Indeed! In fact, one dentistry practice in Baltimore that my husband has heard commercials for, promises “sedation by oral pills” and also promises No Lecturing. They advertise that years’ worth of dental work can be done in just a couple of visits. I think some of these folks have seen an untapped market, comprised of folks like you and me. Free market economy at its best, if you ask me.
I understand completely! If it came to that, I have my own Valium. But the thought of a dental practice that caters to people like me has great appeal.
Just one comment: The one difficulty with taking pills for sedation is that the level of sedation you get is less predictable than with IV. Everyone digests and absorbs medication differently via the intestinal tract. So [forrest gump] you never know what you are going to get [/forrest gump]. Usually the agent used is a benzodiazapine like Halcion (same chemical family as Valium). So while there is sedation, there is no pain relief. You’ll probably still get the novacaine for that, and maybe an Rx for home use if needed.
Darn! Hit submit too soon! I will add that when I had conscious sedation for the surgical procedure, they still needed novacaine, too. In fact, one of the things I remember best about the procedure was the novacaine needles going into my side. I was very, very relaxed, but I remember saying “ouch” a few times.
One thing I really like about my current dentist is that she is excellent at giving the novacaine shots. She really takes her time injecting the stuff, all I feel is a little bitty prick at the beginning. That one thing really makes everything easier for me.
I just had sedation dentistry done about two weeks ago. I had four impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed, and I would really reccomend getting sedated like I did. I told the oral surgeon I would like to be as out of it as possible, and he was happy to comply. I had to take Valiums before the surgery and then have an IV. I’m not great with IV’s but I don’t even remember them putting it in because of the Valiums. After the IV was in my arm, the last thing I remember was him telling me to let him know when it felt like I had a few drinks. I don’t remember responding to that or anything else during the procedure. That’s weird you remembered almost all of it.
I am notorious for being damned near impossible to get an IV into (that’s why I’ll be getting a port soon). But, as I said, since I’ll have the port, if I choose the IV route, it won’t be that big of a deal. It’s just a matter of finding drugs that will work to really knock me out, since the Valium/Versed/Dilaudid combo didn’t do it.