Yeah. I didn’t go to a dentist for years in my 20’s. When I finally did – I had to go back for multiple appointments because they couldn’t get all the tartar off in one round. I’ve gone every year, since then.
ETA:
I suspect it’s the genetic hard enamel, not the powder. You can get away with an awful lot if you inherited hard teeth – until they start to fall out of your rotting gums, of course.
About 7 years ago I saw an oral surgeon to have studs installed for a dental implant. They gave me a pill to take an hour before to make me relax then an IV that knocked me out. I came to 90 minutes later and was told there was a problem and the studs could not be installed. I haven’t had any teeth where the surgery was done in over 30 years. I was told I would need gum grafts done before the studs could be installed because of the length of time without teeth. I was in pain for the next 3 weeks, I was told to take OTC pain relief and they wouldn’t give me anything stronger. I couldn’t eat or sleep and was miserable. My dentist then suggested skipping the implant, I had survived just fine with the missing teeth for 30 years and at 60 years old, I would likely survive another 30 without any problems.
That seems reasonable - I made a similar decision after having a tooth yanked a couple of years ago when I was 63. The dentist told me at the time I had three choices: do nothing, get a bridge (which he didn’t recommend as he said it would put extra stress on the surrounding teeth - the last thing my crappy prone-to-breaking teeth need), or get an implant at a cost of about $4k. I decided to do nothing.
But this time, I am going to have an implant, just because I’m getting low on teeth. I never developed wisdom teeth, and I have now lost 5 teeth due to fractures - two were 12-year molars that were a relief to get rid of as they didn’t fit in my mouth, one I got an implant to replace, and now I have two empty spots. That feels like one empty spot too many. And now the cost is going to be more like $5,000. Oh well.
Ack! When I had a lot more teeth I had certain areas that were super-sensitive to cleaning. My wonderful dentist quickly learned where they were and workd very carefully on those spots.
That was some bad ju-ju.
I hate it when they eff you up and then say “oh, nooooo, pain meds., no way! Tough it out bub!”
I might’ve had to have cat-fit in their reception area.
Getting an implant too. I have gotten the old roots operated out and got the stitches out this Monday. I have an appointment December 9th for the implant.
Next summer I will be able to chew my food properly again.
Wow, that’s a long wait! Shortage of dental professionals where you live, or they want to wait a long time for healing?
I get my implant in 5 weeks - not a moment too soon, as I am finding chewing a bit of a challenge with missing molars on both sides.
I don’t snooze while on nitrous but I do get very relaxed.
I’m one of those who is very, very hard to numb. Nitrous has been a life changer for me.
I don’t think I ever behaved badly at the dentist but I’m sure that flinching in agony makes their job a lot harder.
I have had no lower molars for decades. I eat slower than most as theres a lot of maneuvering going on.
I can’t get implants as I could never afford them and I believe my gums wouldn’t support them.
The dentist want five to six months for the jaw to heal after the extraction of the old molar that were broken down to the jaw. After that he want five to six months for the bone.to grow into the implant before I get my new molar.
That’s similar to my current experience. I had three teeth pulled back in February. Then about 3 weeks ago I had bone graft surgery during which he also put in the implants. I won’t get my actual new teeth until January or thereabouts.
Hmm, maybe I misunderstood. I do have my next appointment in about 5 weeks, but maybe they aren’t going to deal with the implant that quickly.
I do have one implant already, but I got it long enough ago that I don’t really remember how long the whole process took.
That’s pretty typical. I was surprised when someone upthread said it was only 5 weeks or so. On rereading, it may have been “she gets it in 5 weeks from when she posted”, not “5 weeks after the implant was placed”.
With my first implant, it had been well over a year after the extraction before I even decided I wanted to go that route (as opposed to a crown). With the second one, they did the extraction and implant in the same procedure (going under, I knew they were not sure they could, so I gave them permission to do whatever seemed right at the time - and I lucked out). They did a bone graft that time. It was at least 4 months before I could have the crown part done in both cases.
That was me. All I know for sure is that I have my first appointment to start dealing with implant matters 5 weeks from when the tooth was pulled. Maybe I was optimistic in assuming things would get going then; perhaps all he wants to do is check on the healing process or something.
I already have one implant but I got it quite a while ago, so I don’t remember how long it was between the initial tooth-yank and the-implant-is-all-finished-you’re-good-to-go. I really hope it isn’t THAT long but I guess I’ll see.
I was reading the thread and thinking that I probably fall into the OP’s Gold Star Patients category because I’m very relaxed and obedient. Then I remembered a childhood incident.
Mom took us to a dentist named Dr. S. He didn’t use Novocain. There was no numbing whatsoever. And he apparently hated dentistry and kids, as he had a brusque chairside manner. If you started crying, he’d tell you to be quiet and keep drilling. I used to hide under the bed whenever I found out it was dentist day. I was an extremely shy, sensitive kid who never spoke to him because frankly, he scared me.
One day when I was about 6 and he had his fingers in my mouth and was being particularly nasty, my resentment boiled up over my shyness, and I bit him. Hard. Wow, did he yell! There was a long tirade that I didn’t listen to because I was so relieved he wasn’t hurting me. I think he fired us as patients. I expected Mom to be furious with me and to get grounded, but surprisingly, she wasn’t and didn’t. When I grew up, I asked her why, and she said, “Well, he really was pretty mean.” I think she took us there because it was cheaper.
I hereby hand back my self-awarded gold star, but I like to think I struck a blow for all childkind, or at least those kids who were his patients.
I think you deserve that gold star for standing up for dental patients!!!
When we were kids, the expectation was that we’d tough it out no matter what. Our dentist gave novocaine, but as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the stuff simply does not work well for me. The time it took 7 injections to get me remotely numb enough to get a job done, I toughed it out in the chair… then went into the bathroom afterward and sobbed.
My husband was taken to a dentist, a few times, who used nitrous oxide INSTEAD OF novocaine, rather than IN ADDITION TO. And it simply didn’t work. Maybe that was how things were done back then. But he developed a lifelong loathing of the stuff. When he had major gum surgery a few years ago, he had it done with just novocaine. I thought he was insane - but apparently the stuff WORKS for him.
On a different but not unrelated topic re anesthesia: when he had knee surgery in 2018, the anesthesiologist who met with him just beforehand said “epidural”. I came closer to freaking out then than at any other time in the process… 2 kids, failed epidurals both times. Naturally, it worked fine (if it had been me going into surgery, I’d have left on the spot).
Yeah, Novocaine works great for me. The only issue I’ve ever had with it is that it takes a long time to wear off, and it’s unpleasant having partially numb lips and tongue.
Thank you! I must confess that I never felt guilty for a single moment. If there was ever a man who needed a good biting, it was that guy. I’m sorry you’ve had such bad dental experiences. Is there nothing they can do to effectively numb you?
I always feel like I’m drooling and imagine that people are wondering if I’ve had a stroke.
I found a new dentist, 20ish years ago. I met with her and talked about my history of poor pain relief; I had a tooth that was bugging me enough that I absolutely HAD to have it dealt with. I suggested a combination of horse tranquilizers and a sledge hammer to the head. She said she had an alternative: Halcion (a benzo) plus nitrous oxide.
That combo worked like a charm. She had said “you won’t be aware of time passing” and that wasn’t quite true - I DID know time was passing (spent 5 hours in the chair that first time), I just didn’t CARE. I’m pretty sure they also gave me novocaine that time as well.
Since then, I’ve evolved to the point where I can have work done with “just” nitrous and the local. The nitrous has some analgesic effect, I’m sure, but for me the chief benefit is the profound relaxation - which makes the injections easier to administer, and also lets them work better (since stress - like well-earned fear of pain - makes the local less effective). When my dentist sold the practice, I told the new one that I’d need nitrous for fillings. She looked surprised, but I assured her it would make things go much easier for BOTH of us.
The first root canal I had… was pretty nightmarish. Just the injection had me shrieking in pain. In hindsight I should have walked out right then. Foolishly, I toughed it out.
Oh, boy, did it ever. Not fun at all.
As to the heritability of good enamel, I’m not sure if the following is related to the enamel, but my youngest son apparently sheds plaque. He found that out when he volunteered to be someone’s dental hygienist certificate victim. He was required to have a certain amount and placement of plaque to qualify and he hadn’t had a cleaning in awhile. So, at first he qualified.
She checked him out three times, to be sure. The third time, just before the test, he had plaque missing and she had to use someone else.