[Anonymous]

I am 21 and I have always been so scared of dentists, but I have a hole in one of my top teeth which has been on and off sensitive. So I couldn't take it any longer and went to the dentist and they say it's beyond repairable and will need to be extracted. So they have booked me for a hospital appointment where it is going to be done. I'm really scared and stressed about it and dreading the pain during (will they put me to sleep?) Also, what will happen when it is done? I'm just going to have to live with a gap in my mouth for my whole life now?

[M4LLY]

Dont worry, they'll sort it all out, as for the pain, they'll put you to sleep.

[Griffin23]

I've had two removed by the dentist, I wasn't put to sleep for either, just the usual numbing injection. My first tooth couldn't be extracted whole, it had to be broken into pieces. I would say that would be the worst scenario. The second was a straight extraction pull out and was over within minutes.

[Beebumble]

Had mine out a couple of days ago. They'll only put you to sleep if you're a really nervous patient. You'll at least get a local anesthetic which just numbs your mouth you might get some gas and air too.

It feels a bit achey after but just take some painkillers and it'll be fine. The worse bit for me isn't the pain (and I have a really low pain threshold) it's getting used to there being a gap. You can't see it. It just feels really weird.

[moya]

(Original post by M4LLY)
Dont worry, they'll sort it all out, as for the pain, they'll put you to sleep.

they don't usually use general anesthesia for tooth extraction...unless you were REALLY scared of dentists (and you would have to wait months for an appointment anyway) or that you have some disorder that prevents you from being still

so I'm getting the OP is getting local anesthesia

You won't feel any pain (apart from the local anesthetic injection, but they have gels to reduce this pain now) but you will feel pressure, and it may be slightly uncomfortable, but it depends on your dentist really

[Skaði]

It will most likely be local. They only use general for the cases where the tooth's impacted and/or extremely difficult to remove (I had general for my wisdom teeth being removed, for example, because the teeth were impacted in my jaw and they had to cut through the bone to remove them). I believe you can ask for something like Valium though, which makes you feel more relaxed before they remove your tooth. They gave me something before they put me under that made me feel really relaxed and indifferent to everything. I'm sure you'll be fine

[Sir Fox]

During my (not very long) life I had eight teeths removed from my mouth - four because my jawbone is too small, another four wisdom teeth (all eight shiny and healthy, what a waste ...) - so I consider myself experienced on this matter

Usually dentists don't put you to sleep but give you injections and it goes all numb. For the first batch I got six injections, for the wisdom teeth a couple of years later it has been eight injections. Whether they 'hurt' depends on how experienced your dentist is and also on luck (that's what the oral surgeon told me), because you never know the exact location of the nerve.

You wait for some time and after it's gone all numb the dentist checks whether you feel anything, then he starts the procedure. You won't feel anything (to be honest, the whole pushing and pullin isn't to convenient either) because, well ... you have been anesthetised

Very nervous patients may also be put to sleep. The advantage is quite obvious, you will feel nothing, not even the pushing and pulling, and wake up after all is over. Disadvantage (yeah, there is one): as soon as you wake up the pain starts. If you get injections the whole area stays totally numb for at least half an our after you're finished, then it gradually regains feeling and you can start taking painkillers at the point where you think it's necessary. If you have been put to sleep pain starts immediately after you wake up, so think about it twice

For further questions, just PM me

[Mojojojo]

(Original post by Anonymous)
I am 21 and I have always been so scared of dentists, but I have a hole in one of my top teeth which has been on and off sensitive. So I couldn't take it any longer and went to the dentist and they say it's beyond repairable and will need to be extracted. So they have booked me for a hospital appointment where it is going to be done. I'm really scared and stressed about it and dreading the pain during (will they put me to sleep?) Also, what will happen when it is done? I'm just going to have to live with a gap in my mouth for my whole life now?

I am absolutely petrified of dentists, but i've had 2 teeth out.
-Once when a tooth was growing above the other and pushing down on it (toothache!)
-Once (recently) when i had a tooth beyond repair.

Both times they just numbed the area and i couldn't feel a thing, i asked if they'd taken it out yet the first time, and it felt like it was still there the second time! As for afterwards, my tooth grew in as normal for the first one, and for the second i've just been moulded for a bridge to be put in. I wanted as least damage as possible to the neighbouring teeth so asked for a 'butterfly bridge', they made like ridges in the other teeth so and took the mould so when the bridge is put it it will glue and stay easier. They last 10 years and replacement is about £50...i think.

I don't know if this has helped... I hope it did. But it's painless, seriously, and i hate dentists!

[Miryo]

I remember it being absolutely terrible, in fact, even though my teeth look much better now, I still remember how bad it was.

They used an anaesthetic, when he pulled it out, it didn't hurt, just felt wierd. The worst part is the next few hours.

They give you some cotton to put between the area to soak up the blood, he told me I could take it off after five minutes so I did and it bled non stop for 4 hours, you can't spit out the blood properly either because your mouth is all numb and it hurts and is just horrible.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for your replies. Very reassuring and informative.

(Original post by Mojojojo)
I am absolutely petrified of dentists, but i've had 2 teeth out.
-Once when a tooth was growing above the other and pushing down on it (toothache!)
-Once (recently) when i had a tooth beyond repair.

Both times they just numbed the area and i couldn't feel a thing, i asked if they'd taken it out yet the first time, and it felt like it was still there the second time! As for afterwards, my tooth grew in as normal for the first one, and for the second i've just been moulded for a bridge to be put in. I wanted as least damage as possible to the neighbouring teeth so asked for a 'butterfly bridge', they made like ridges in the other teeth so and took the mould so when the bridge is put it it will glue and stay easier. They last 10 years and replacement is about £50...i think.

I don't know if this has helped... I hope it did. But it's painless, seriously, and i hate dentists!

I had read a bit about this bridge stuff before. Do you have to pay to get that after your tooth is pulled or you only have to pay for the replacement?

(Original post by Miryo)
I remember it being absolutely terrible, in fact, even though my teeth look much better now, I still remember how bad it was.

They used an anaesthetic, when he pulled it out, it didn't hurt, just felt wierd. The worst part is the next few hours.

They give you some cotton to put between the area to soak up the blood, he told me I could take it off after five minutes so I did and it bled non stop for 4 hours, you can't spit out the blood properly either because your mouth is all numb and it hurts and is just horrible.

How unpleasant :/ I guess I should be worrying more about the aftermath of it all

[Mojojojo]

(Original post by Anonymous)
Thank you all for your replies. Very reassuring and informative.

I had read a bit about this bridge stuff before. Do you have to pay to get that after your tooth is pulled or you only have to pay for the replacement?


How unpleasant :/ I guess I should be worrying more about the aftermath of it all

You pay to have it put in, and pay for the replacement, i'm still under 18 so it's free, but i still have to have the cheapest one. It's not too much for 10 years use.

And about you worrying about the aftermath from that other comment, the first time it hardly bled at all, and the second it took hours to stop, but i had gauze pads in for ages and it stopped after a while. It's really not too bad!

[bigbottle]

If you've been booked in for an extraction at the hospital, they'll probably use some form of sedation e.g. IV or Gas. You won't be asleep during the procedure, it'll just calm you down and make you feel relaxed.

[breakeven]

To make room for braces I had 4 teeth taken out while awake, on the same day. Im terrified of needles but the injections were over quickly so I just closed my eyes and pretended it wasn't happening. the worst part is the SOUND! The cracking sound when they pull your tooth is just awful. Afterwards you just keep gauze pads in your mouth to stop the bleeding, mine took about 2-3 hours to stop completely. However, talking while your mouth is numb is so funny!

You won't probably get put to sleep but as others said you will be given local anesthesia, you'll we okay!

[OU Student]

(Original post by breakeven)
However, talking while your mouth is numb is so funny!

Seconded. That was, um, interesting. I also dribbled a lot.

[breakeven]

(Original post by OU Student)
Seconded. That was, um, interesting. I also dribbled a lot.

I dribbled a lot too! I had to get the bus home and I was dribbling blood, there were kids looking terrified haha! This old lady gave me a pack of tissues and wet wipes bless her, went through them in about 5 minutes