dental anxiety Archives | Williams Family Dentistry

A Procedure Where It Was Almost Impossible to Get Numb

Posted on August 31, 2023 by writeradmin.

I recently had a tooth extracted. It was my bottom, left back molar. I think my dentist called it tooth #18. I have three major concerns that I need to ask someone other than my dentist about. First, it took multiple shots to get me numb. I lost count at 13 and was just crying by them. Is this normal? Second, a few days after the extraction, a bone spur appeared at the site. I wasn’t thrilled with the deal of going back to the dentist after the extraction, but it hurt so much any time someting even brushed it (including my tongue) that I had to. It took the dentist about 30 minutes to deal with that. Now, about eight days later, the extraction site has a sharp ridge. It’s also still painful for me to swallow and eat. I don’t even try to smile anymore. I think I’ve lost confidence in this dentist and I don’t know what to do about this ridge or even if any of this experience was normal.

Mary

Dear Mary,

You have definitely had a rough go of things. Let’s start with the problem getting numb as this will impact every dental appointment you have. I highly doubt your dentist missed the tooth area that many times. The underlying issue more likely lies in a dental anxiety issue combined with your dentist not understanding how that impacts your ability to get numb.

As your anxiety goes up, it gets harder and harder for your body to stay numb. This is because your metabolism jumps up during that anxiety and burns off the numbing medication. This is why it was so difficult for you to get and stay numb. Now for the good news. There is a solution to this.

Pain Free Dental Procedures

My suggestion is you go to a dentist who offers dental sedation. In some cases, all you need is nitrous oxide. This is a mild form of sedation that relaxes you. It is sometimes called laughing gas because of the floaty feeling it gives you. It has the benefit of allowing you to immediately get on with your day because, once the procedure is over, they switch the gas to oxygen and you are back to normal in just a few moments.

Some patients have such a high anxiety level, however, that they need something a bit stronger. If you are in that camp, my suggestion is oral conscious sedation. This takes a little more preparation. While it is administered by a pill, this pill is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you at home until you are lucid and steady on your feet.

Your Other Questions

The bone spur puzzles me. I don’t have a lot of information about it. What I can say is that dentists should try their best to remove any loose pieces of bone, etc. As for the sharp ridge, I have more information. When the tooth is first removed, the socket will have a sharp edge to it. You didn’t notice it because the gum tissue is over it and a bit swollen. As it heals the gum goes back to normal size and the sharp edges are then on the surface. If it is causing you a problem, your dentist can smooth it or clip it.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. James E. Williams.

Worried About Having My Wisdom Tooth Extracted

Posted on March 14, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have a wisdom tooth in my jaw that has a pretty good cavity and is partially impacted. My other wisdom teeth are fully impacted but don’t have any problems. My dentist said I need to see an oral surgeon to have it extracted because of my age (I’m 37), which he says puts me at risk. He also mentioned that there is a risk of nerve damage. I’m not a comfortable patient under the best of circumstances, but now I’m terrified of this procedure. Help me understand how serious this is and is there a possibility I can not have the tooth removed at all?

Sienna

Dear Sienna,

I wish these impacted wisdom teeth of yours had been extracted when you were in your late teens to early twenties. At that age, everything is quite pliable and super easy to remove. As you age, the bone gets thicker as the roots fully form. The older you get the more difficult the extraction. I would not wait for the other ones to bother you before having them extracted. It will only get more complicated the longer you wait. As for the one with decay, it does need to come out. You don’t want to wait for an infection to develop, which can turn into a dental emergency.

As for the potential for nerve damage, that is only a real risk if the tooth is impinging on the nerve. Surgeons always tend to overstate the risk because they want to avoid any possibility of a lawsuit if things happen with a nerve beyond their control. Just make sure whomever you see gets some good 3-dimensional x-rays. This way he can work around any nerves.

I did want to address a different type of nerve issue, however. You mentioned you were not the most comfortable of patients. I want to suggest that you see a sedation dentist for any further dental care you need. Having something like oral conscious sedation when you need any work done will greatly improve your feelings toward the dentist. You will finally be able to have anxiety-free/pain-free appointments.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

High Resistance to Novocain

Posted on October 30, 2021 by writeradmin.

I need some advice. Dental appointments are a complete nightmare for me. My dentist has never been able to get me numb before. It didn’t matter how many shots he gave me, I would still be in agony. As a result, as you can imagine, I need a lot of work done. Is there any way to help me with this? I’d really love to get control of my dental health. I’m desperate because my mouth is a mess and it is getting embarrassing.

Marie

Dear Marie,

I want to first give you some peace in knowing that there is a solution to what you are going through. I am sorry you have had to endure so many painful appointments. There are quiet a few dentists who do not yet know there is a very real connection between dental anxiety and the ineffecutalness of numbing medication. By that I mean, the higher your dental anxiety, the less likely the numbing medication is to work. That sounds like a terrible inverse, doesn’t it? Here is the good news. There is a fix.

What you need is a dentist who offers dental sedation. This will allow you to have a pain-free/anxiety-free dental appointment. How it works is the medication relaxes you, which in turn keeps your body from metabolizing the numbing medication too quickly. Given the number of painful appointments you have, I am going recommend you find a dentist who offers oral conscious sedation.

This is a stronger medication. It is administered by a pill. However, it is so powerful that you will need to have someone drive you to and fron your appoinment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your appointment. There is an additional benefit to you as well. Using oral conscious sedation will allow you to get more work done at each appointment, giving you the ability to get your oral health care under control faster.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Novocaine Doesn’t Work for Me

Posted on April 28, 2021 by writeradmin.

Can you help me? I have never had a dental procedure where Novocain worked for me. This is true no matter how many shots they give me. Because of this, all my dental procedures have been excruciating. It is to the point where I only go if there is no other choice because of a tooth infection. My mouth is a wreck as a result. Is there any hope I can have a healthy smile?

Mandy

Dear Mandy,

I am so sorry for all you have been through. The fact that you are trying to get to the dentist again says a lot about your courage. I also feel confident I can help you.

There is a phenomenon that many dentists are still unaware of that pertains to this very issue. We have found there is a connection between dental anxiety and Novocaine resistance. In other words, the more anxious a patient is going in to a procedure, the higher the likelihood the Novocaine will not work for them. We’re not certain as to why. Some speculate it is a metabolism issue, meaning that your metabolism jumps up during anxiety which in turn burns off the numbing medication too quickly for it to be effective.

The solution is to go to a dentist who is willing to use a relaxant, such as you’d find with dental sedation. I suggest you do an internet search for a sedation dentist. In your case, I would specifically look for one who offers oral conscious sedation.

This is so strong that most patients sleep through their procedures. The only real downside is you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you at home for a few hours until you are lucid and steady on your feet again.

In addition to giving you a completely relaxed experience at the dentist, it will also allow you to catch up on your needed dental work much faster because you are able to have more procedures done at each appointment. Before you know it, you will have a healthy, beautiful smile once more with no more dental emergencies.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Weaver.

Novocain Didn’t Work for My Daughter

Posted on January 23, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have an eleven-year-old daughter who developed a tooth infection. The dentist gave her Novocain but it didn’t work. She was in agony. I eventually had to stop the procedure because I couldn’t stand the pain she was in. I was also a little distressed that the dentist didn’t even seem to care about what she was enduring. I am going to switch pediatric dentists, for obvious reasons, however I still have to deal with my daughter’s infection. Do you know why the Novocain didn’t work? If so, is there a way to get her numb?

Miranda

Dear Miranda,

I am so sorry both you and your daughter had to experience that. I do believe I know what happened with the Novocain and know what will help. I can tell you are a kind and caring mother, so you will know that the infection will have to be dealt with before it has a chance to spread. These type of issues are considered a dental emergency. The first thing I would do is ask for an antibiotic to help hold off the infection briefly while you find the dentist you need to handle this. It is a short, temporary solution. Tooth infections are not treated by antibiotics, they are just held at bay for a period. The only way to get rid of the infection is for a dentist to physically remove the infected tissue.

Many dentists are not yet aware that there is a connection between dental anxiety and numbing medication. While we don’t understand why, we do know that higher a person’s anxiety the less effective the numbing medication is. The solution is to help bring down her anxiety before the procedure. The best way to do that is to see a pediatric dentist who offers dental sedation options.

There are different levels of sedation. Nitrous oxide is the lowest. However, given her recent experience, I think you need to find a dentist who offers oral conscious sedation. This is much stronger and is often called sleep dentistry. She will be quite loopy so you’ll want to keep an eye on her for a few hours after the procedure. It is perfectly safe and she will wake up with her procedure done.

Then, for the next few procedures she can use the nitrous oxide. This helps relax her and she will very likely fall asleep, but she will not be loopy when the procedure is over. With this sedation they will switch the gas back to oxygen and she’ll be back to normal in a few moments.

Hopefully, a few good procedures will enable her fear and anxiety to become controlled by her instead of medication.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Dentist Cut My Tongue

Posted on November 7, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have never loved going to the dentist but I’ve never had one of those horror story experiences until this week. I was having a cavity filled and decided to get some nitrous oxide which they told me would relax me. It didn’t really do much for me so I don’t think it is worth the extra money. However, I am writing because during the procedure the dentist slipped and cut the underside of my tongue. Not only did I feel it, but I heard both of them gasp when it happened. When I approached him about it, he said patients bite themselves all the time during procedures. I sort of feel like he owes me an apology and maybe a partial refund, but he’s not even being honest about what happened. What do you recommend I do?

Meredith

Dear Meredith,

While you can ask for both, I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you. It sounds like he has already moved into a defensive posture. I don’t think you are going to get very far with him. In some cases, you can get your money back with a lawsuit, but in this case, I don’t believe you will get very far. That type of case is difficult to determine objectively without significant evidence. The best you will probably be able to do is write a bad review and get a new dentist.

When you do get a new dentist, I would like you to get a sedation dentist. There are a few little hints in what you wrote that make me think that will be a huge benefit for you.

You have never loved going to the dentist. Sometimes this is code for “dentists make me nervous, which is more common than you would think.
Anxiety burns off numbing medication. When you get anxious in the dental chair, especially after a bad experience, your body kicks into overdrive. This burns off the numbing medicine making it difficult to get and keep you numb during your procedures.
The nitrous oxide seemed to be ineffective on you. This is usually a sign of someone who needs a stronger sedation option. Your best option is to find someone who offers oral conscious sedation.

This option will completely relax you, provide an anxiety-free and pain-free dental appointment. I think you’ll be much happier at the dentist the next time you need a procedure.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

This Patient NEEDS a Second Opinion

Posted on June 19, 2020 by writeradmin.

I went to a dentist after starting to have some jaw pain on and off. I don’t have a regular dentist, I’m ashamed to admit. I seem to have a problem with dentists. They give me the heebie-jeebies. No offense. When I got there, he did an x-ray and found a tooth, that already had a filling, now had decay underneath. He said there isn’t enough tooth to save, so he wants me to come back and get an extraction then either a dental bridge or dental implant. I don’t have to tell you again how I feel about dentists. Is there another option?

Humphrey

Dear Humphrey,

Bear in mind I haven’t seen you, but what the dentist you went to is saying doesn’t ring true to me. First, you just started having pain. By what he described the pain would have shown up earlier and been much more severe. Second, if the decay were that severe, he wouldn’t need an x-ray to tell you that. It is even very likely that your filing will have fallen out completely. Thirdly I’m going to suggest you get a second opinion from another dentist.

When you do that, please be certain it is a blind second opinion. What I mean by that is you don’t tell the second opinion dentist who originally diagnosed you or what he said. Just tell him the symptoms and let him draw his own conclusions. That way there will be no bias in his diagnosis.

A Word about Your Dental Anxiety

You are not alone in your heebie-jeebies, and no, I’m not offended. Because of that, I’d like you to see a dentist who offers dental sedation options. This way, for whatever treatment you actually do need, it can be an anxiety-free and pain-free appointment for you.

I have found, in my use of dental sedation, that patients with dental anxiety have their life has been changed. They are able to get to the dentist regularly without any dread. I’d start with nitrous oxide which will relax you but not require you to have someone drive you to or from your appointment.

If you find, you need something stronger, than I would suggest oral conscious sedation. This is quite strong so in addition to driving you to and from your appointment, they will also need to stay with you afterward until you are lucid and steady on your feet again. The good news about such a strong relaxant is you will most likely sleep through your entire appointment.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Over Ten Shots to Get me Numb!

Posted on June 8, 2020 by writeradmin.

It seriously took over twelve shots to get me numb for a single tooth extraction. It was a miserable experience. Now, I’ve got this sharp bone place where the tooth was. Did my dentist do something wrong? After my experience in the office, I have sort of lost confidence in his abilities.

Heather

Dear Heather,

Let’s start with the shots. While it is possible your dentist kept missing the injection site, doing it that many times would be unlikely. I’m pretty sure he’d have a reputation on YELP or Google Reviews by now if it took that many tries with all his patients. The more likely thing is an issue many dentists don’t realize are connected — dental anxiety and Novocain.

It is normal to feel a tad nervous at the dentist’s office, especially when you need more than a cleaning and checkup. For some, though, their anxiety level rises to the point that their metabolism kicks in to help with fight or flight. When that happens, the Novocain either becomes less effective or burns off too quickly.

Even though, your dentist may not have done anything wrong here it sounds like he may not be the right dentist for your situation. Instead, I would look for someone who offers dental sedation options. There are several levels of sedation, depending on your level of anxiety. This will allow you to have a stress-free and pain-free dental appointment. Many patients who have avoided the dentist for years find that it completely changes their life.

The Bony Ridge

Believe it or not, this is normal. when your tooth was first extracted the socket had a sharp edge to it. You didn’t notice the edge because your gums were covering it. Now that the extraction site is healing, it’s shrinking down and is visible. If it becomes an issue, your dentist can clip it.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Why Can’t the Dentist Get Me Numb?

Posted on December 24, 2019 by writeradmin.

I had to have a root canal treatment on a tooth that was injured years ago and has now picked up an infection. My dentist could not get me numb, even after six shots for one tooth. He’s at a loss. He didn’t charge me for the visit and has prescribed me some strong pain killers. I can’t live like this much longer. My dentist is doing his own research to try to figure out what to do, but I thought I’d write to you to see if you have experienced this with any of your patients. If so, did you find a solution?

Andrew

Dear Andrew,

I can help you. I have encountered this a few times. My suspicion is you struggle with some level of dental anxiety. Actually, based on how hard it was for your dentist to get you numb, it’s probably strong anxiety. It may not be in going to the dentist on its own, but in the procedure you needed.

What many dentists don’t realize is how that anxiety affects your metabolism. When you are anxious, your body’s metabolism kicks up a notch. This burns off the numbing medication. Therefore, what you need is something to keep your anxiety level down.

I’m going to suggest you use dental sedation for this procedure. Most dentists who offer sedation have two levels available. The first is nitrous oxide. This is for patients who are mildly anxious. It’s commonly called laughing gas and will relax you. It has the additional benefit of allowing you to get on with your day as normal after the procedure is done.

The second level is for those with more substantial anxiety. It’s known as oral conscious sedation (OCS). This is administered by a pill. However, it is so strong, you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, as well as remain with you afterward until you are lucid again. Most patients who take OCS sleep through their procedure, which is why some call it sleep dentistry.

If your dentist doesn’t offer either of these services, you can see a different practitioner for your root canal treatment. You don’t have to switch dentists entirely if you are happy with your current one. You can just go for this one thing and then return to your dentist.

Generally, after a root canal treatment, you will need to have a dental crown placed to protect the tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Can I Put Off a Tooth Extraction?

Posted on November 29, 2019 by writeradmin.

I had a root canal treatment done and then a crown. This was a while ago. The tooth started hurting again. I went to see my dentist and he said I have an abscess. He prescribed me some antibiotics and referred me to an endodontist. When he x-rayed it, he said the tooth was cracked and will need to be extracted. Here’s my question. The tooth has been treated with antibiotics and no longer hurts. Can I just put off this extraction until (and if) something else happens?

Eric

Dear Eric,

I’m relieved you wrote to ask before following through with this plan. This would end up being a disaster. Often, just having an abscessed tooth is considered a dental emergency. But, let’s ignore this for a moment and just go under the assumption this won’t blow up quickly.

Right now your tooth is still infected. The antibiotics didn’t “cure” it. Instead, it is just holding it at bay until you have the infection physically removed. What will happen is you’ll feel fine for a while. Then, a few days after your antibiotics are used, the infection will return. If you try to extract the tooth then, you’ll find the infection will keep the Novocain from working to its full potency. That will be a miserable experience for you.

Your best solution and the one which will be the least risky for you is to have it extracted now. If anxiety is an issue for you, there are dental sedation options which will give you an anxiety-free experience.

Replacing an Extracted Tooth

You’ll need to replace your tooth as soon as is reasonably possible. The best tooth replacement option is to get a dental implant. It mimics the natural tooth by providing a prosthetic tooth root and then a crown. It is the closest thing to having your healthy natural tooth back.

I will be upfront that it is the most expensive of your options, but it is worth saving up for. Don’t leave the space open until you can afford to replace it. If you do that, the adjacent teeth will begin to shift or tip into the open spot. Then your teeth will need orthodontics and there won’t be enough space left to adequately replace the tooth.

There are inexpensive replacements you can put there on a temporary basis. Timeliness in both these situations will save you money and hassle in the long run.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.