After painful and problematic experience of dentistry, i have developed a dental phobia. What can I do about it and my dental needs?

Q.
HI,

this is a bit of a long question so I am really hoping that you will have patience enough to read through to the end. Because I really need some help on this !

I have extreme dental phobia at times. because of the appalling treatement I received ten years ago when a dentist who started laughing and was clearly flirting around with the two dental nurses instead of concentrating on what he was doing, he broke of a root file in my root canal and he had to cut or drill through my gum and jaw line to pull it out sideways. He gave me 6 injections because I could still feel the drill grinding my gum and jaw bone .
He said this happens all the time and it was a total success however I could hardly move my head for 2 weeks after i was shaking and vomiting and a total mess emotionally and physically after this experience. I lost my job and my then bf had to care for me for 2 weeks.

and it still makes me feel totally fear and paranoia about going to the dentist.
I cry and want to shout at them.and I just cant handle or trust that they will do anything but mess my mouth up more.
Which has happened each successive time I have been to the dentist. I know I have a serious problem and I should have sued that dentist. I know damn well it was because he wasnt concentrating on what he was doing and was laughing and flirting with the two dental nurses.
I now just am thinking I wish they could pull all the bad ones out on my lower jaw so I never have to go back again.

I am in tears right now because I made a new appointment today and I just cant bring myself to go. Its totallyt ruined my life. and It has left me really afraid of going to the dentist or even opening my mouth.
I use hydrogen peroxide and green tea and garlic but I know that the remains of this lower molar are receding way into my lower jaw and my gum has receded far toomuch on this remains of this molar because of it.

I cannot afford dental implants which are a long way off for me. I know my jaw bone has receded a lot because of the infection that has been going on for over a year in this one gaping hole. and I dont even know if there is enough bone to support it. Having had a canine and molar already removed and well the resultant bone receding that happens means that I think a person has to have an implant or something very soon after extraction surely
For there to be enough bone to hold it? Or is it ok to have the dental implants a long time after an extraction? Can the bone regenerate itself enough? for futrue implants further down the line?

I know that my lower jaw does not extend as much as it used to. (I am only 38) and I think my lower jaw has shrunk trying to keep the calcium in my teeth.

My question is this really. I am asking if you know about any where that does bone grafting techniques because I know I am going to need this but I really dont have the funds or money to pay for this kind of expensive treatment at this time and so I really need to offer myself up as I willing genuieu pigue at some kind of student research hospital.
I am thinking that I have to have this tooth extracted in my view because it is not ok that the gum keeps receding surely. and better to have it it removed and and surely must be better to have the gum sealed over rather than recede any more?

Basically is there anywhere that does bone regrafting techniques to stimulate more bone growth and regeneration? and can you recommend this and is there anywhere that does this on the NHS because I have hardly the funds for even a consultation at the moment let alone a marathon session of dental treatments. and yet I know I am going to have to face up to this at some point in my life. and not keep having temporary fillings. But I am concerned because I dont think there is enough bone there at the moment.
Any advice or suggestions or any where you could recommend to me I would be really so grateful for,
Kind regards. Ps also in your view do you think I would have a credible basis ofr sueing this dentist who made such a mess of my gum and jaw and molar all those years ago, because it HAS caused me such a lot of mental trauma and personal anguish and fear and reallly made me terrified at times of going and kind of ruined my ability to cope with dental treatments.
I need to know if it is normal for a dentist to just snap off a root file just like that? I mean I think it was a really awful thing to do and it wastn just normal thing to happen as he was not conentrating on what he was doing at all. I dont want to sue I just want to have enough money to put right what problems I have had as a result of this trauma. and I know damn well that it was the cause of me being so reluctant to go to dentists regularly enough.

many thanks for your time reading this.

A.
Hello,

I am so sorry you had such a terrible time at the dentist.

In terms of being a ‘guinea pig’ for your bone grafting and implants – you could contact your local dental hospitals and ask them if this is a possibility. What might be a good idea is that you visit a dental practice – without having any dental treatment – and get comfortable with the surroundings. This way you can go back for an examination when it suits you and with you and a dentist you trust you can make a full treatment plan on exactly how you will manage the remaining teeth you have.

I do hope you find a dentist you feel comfortable with so you can continue to get your dental treatment done.

Dr Mark Hughes Harley Street Dental Studio 52 Harley Street, London W1G 9PY Web: www.harleystreetdentalstudio.com Tel: 020 7636 5981 View My Profile Dr Hughes

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