Okay.
That's a lie.
I actually had total, full-on, partial anxiety this morning.
I went to get my partials fitted to fill in the empty spots of all the molars I've had to have pulled.
Partials.
Accck.
I am too young for partials.
I am too poor for dental implants.
So...
The very sweet, twelve year old dental technician came into the room with two tortuous looking metal devices.
"Let's just slide this framework in and see how they fit!" she said in a sweet voice.
I opened my mouth like she had volunteered to feed me chocolate pudding.
She snapped the metal apparatus on my teeth.
ACCCCKKK!!!!
ACCCCCCCKKKKK!!!!
I started gagging.
"Take them out, take them out!" I kinda/sorta shouted in a kinda/sorta freaked out voice.
She quickly complied.
"Holy cats!" I panted.
She told me to take a deep breath and open up again.
"Not so fast...I have a few questions...CanthesegodownmythroatcanIchokeonthesearetheygonna
pullmyfewremainingbackteethoutaretheysupposed togivemymouthclaustrophobiaisthis..."
I stopped. Panting. Trying not to hyperventilate.
Yeah. I'm all kinds of dramatic at the dentist office when I am getting poked with metal and I feel I might choke to death.
The twelve year old dental technician was very kind.
She put her hand on my shoulder.
She showed me how the partials fit into my mouth.
She assured me it would be almost impossible to swallow them because I would choke and gag first.
Good to know!
We tried again.
ACCCCCKKKKK!!!!
I breathed through my nose.
She poked and prodded and then snapped the partial dentures in and out. Each time she messed around with a little wire bendy thingy.
Finally she was done bending wire. She snapped them into my mouth again and with a proud look on her face she enquired, "So! Does that feel better?"
Better? Better? Better than not having a mouthful of wire?
I think not.
Sigh.
We continued with the appointment with spray foam (bite impression) and more bending of metal. Snap in. Snap out. Snap in. Snap out.
Sigh.
"Next time you come back we'll have the teeth on the wire!" Miss Perky said, "Now, isn't that exciting?!"
I didn't answer her silly question.
Exciting?
I think not.
Sigh.
I'm a lot calmer now because I found someone to blame for my anxiety.
This whole hyperventilating, fear of metal thing is my parent's fault.
Growing up, we never had money for braces, so I am getting to experience 'metal mouth' late in life.
Menopause.
Empty nest.
Now metal mouth.
Sigh.
Partial anxiety.
Who knew?
I'm thinking it really wouldn't be that bad to be totally toothless.
Would it?
I could still eat chocolate pudding if I was...
And that wouldn't be totally/completely horrible.
Sigh...
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30 comments:
I can feel the metal now! You never get over that sensation - I had braces for 4 years a loooooong time ago and I think I can still fill them!
I say go with the partials AND the pudding. :-)
Oh Jenny I am afraid of partial anxiety also! Oh my goodness..I hate the dentist in my mouth and when they put metal and snappy things I go crazy. Teeth? who needs teeth I say! Good luck. Hugs, Linda
Oh my! That is quite the picture you found! Hopefully it won't take to long to get used to it.....ummm, I have to go floss now ;)
I cringed just reading about your experience. I hate dental work. I wore a retainer for four years and I think it's made me ultra mouth sensitive.
I'm sorry, Jenny. Chocolate pudding is a great idea.
I can't even afford the partials, so at least you'll be able to chew on both sides of your mouth girlfriend. I kinda' think that lady is smiling, isn't she????
Hugs,
Meri
Yep...that's me when they stick all of the stuff in my mouth for X-rays;). Hope they eventually feel better!!! Hugs
Right now I have braces AND an expander, which is a big metal thingy that goes on the top of your mouth and widens your jaw!
Yikes!! I have a bridge but it's not like that. I have 2 crowns and the middle one is a fake tooth. It's glued down and doesn't come out.
Oh, I totally sympathize, because I am a *complete* dental neurotic. I'm trying to get up my courage to choose a new dentist in my new location. Wish me well.
I hate dentist's offices. I think they sometimes forget that our mouths are attached to our faces which means it can feel pain....
Ugh! Good luck!
...oh....and I bet that lady is the best granny ever!
I'm sorry for your discomfort... I'm the same way. *cringe
Ummm, pardon me... do you think that woman can breathe? Her nozzles are covered.
Oh Jenny, that was traumatic for sure, especially since your dental worker was only 12. I hope it all turns out well for you and P.S. That photo of the lady scared me!
It made me gag just reading it.
I feel your pain. Believe me...
If the dentist can't give me laughing gas he can't poke my mouth. I like that little gas mask on my nose then I don't get anxious. It goes back to having a grandfather for a dentist who murdered me with pain. I understand your anxiety. xo Jenny
I had anxiety just reading this! Maybe they should knock you out and then wake you up once it's fitted into place???
I went to this too. The only feeling was a kind of relief that all these teeth which had hurt me were finally gone. I would have liked to have a complete denture to never go back to a dentist !! But of course dentists don't want to loose clients ! and then yours is only 12 years old, quiet a genious, lol !
Jenny,
I had to really laugh, I am in this same spot, no money for dental implants and way too many teeth gone, could you email me with where you went and if in the end you were happy with them? I am getting tired of chewing on gums in the back....:):) I had no idea they even made partials anymore....yeah! Sandy
Chocolate pudding sounds good to me - and I'll bet you could manage banana pudding, butterscotch pudding, vanilla pudding.....
My mom has been through the hardest time with her teeth. It took forever for them to come up with something that was workable for her.
So sorry you are having to go through the same thing, and I hope this will turn out to be a good solution for you.
Hugs.
Sue
PS. At least you have kept your sense of humor over it. This was told with such flair!
Eek! I reckon you are one brave woman for going to see the dentist in the first place. I felt anxious just mentioning the 'd' word there.
I feel your pain, literally.
I am going through the exact same thing right now....
Yikes ! Hope they are able to tweak a good fitting and comfortable appliance for you !
And then there's always that chocolate pudding to soften the pain of it all LOL !!!
The partial is better than gumming chocolate pudding all the time. Love the picture.
I'm in hysterics. This is a wonderful piece of writing.
My husband is going to have to go through that soon. He had to have some teeth pulled. Luckily, for now, I only need a crown and some fillings.
As always you crack me up. But I feel your pain. Well not exactly yet, but I really need to go in to the dentist. I just would rather give birth to twins than to go to the dentist
Oh my gosh, torture just thinking of dental visits...but you do have a way of making me laugh out loud, Jenny!
I love that photo! You are so funny. Sorry for the awful experience of the metal mouth. Seriously, that should only have to be dealt with as a teenager.
Oh my goodness Jenny...this sounds horrible to me too. I DID have the metal mouth before....and I know that another metal mouth is in my future. I can only hope the 12 year old I get is just as kind to me.
xoxo
Oh dear! (laughing again over here...mind you ...that I am not laughing at you! :o)
I hope that at your next visit, it will be a better experience! On behalf of our two dentist daughters, one dentist son in law, and moi (dental hygienist), I have to say, we truly strive to make our patients have the best experience possible! I love when I am able to change the feelings of a patient that may have had a previous negative view of dental visits...to one where they say they look forward to coming back. :o)
Hugs to you!
Blessings & Aloha!
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