Dental anxiety

[JohnD212]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post here but I'm hoping I can find some support in an issue I've been suffering with for many many years. I have a major issue with changes being made to my teeth. I don't fear the pain of the dentist or anything of his procedures I just fear what changes he'll make to my teeth. Sadly I have a lot of crowns in my mouth so I've had to deal with this a lot in my life.

A few weeks my dentist started the procedure to crown a tooth that had cracked. I discussed with him my fear of how the new tooth would fit in my mouth and if I could get used to it. He agreed to temporarily cement the permanent crown in my mouth for a week to allow me time to see if I liked it. We did that over the last week and it felt fine. I went in today to have him cement it in permanently and after arriving home the tooth is driving my cheek crazy. I can't seem to stop thinking about it. This is the same tooth that was in and I had no issues. I realize this is most likely an obsessive / anxiety trigger.

I don't know how to deal with the anxiety this creates. It makes me feel like I'm trapped. I can't just remove the tooth. I can't get away from the thing that is causing me this discomfort. I looked at the tooth in the mirror and it looks really nice. The gums look healthy. I do notice a small patch on my inside lip that is near that tooth that looks like a sore. I'm trying to direct my mind to realize that perhaps the tooth isn't bothering me but instead just my inner cheek has a sore. I think my inner lip might get irritated from the cotton he sticks in there during the procedure.

Just looking for helpful words on how to deal with these anxieties.

Thanks

[Annie0904]

I had crowns on 2 of my teeth and I have to say that it caused a lot of pain in my mouth for a few days before it settled down. I hope yours settles soon. Dental work of any kind can irritate your mouth but it will soon go.

[wazza]

Over the last 2 years, i have had to have all my teeth taken out. The inital extracts were difficult as my teeth were really well rooted and the procedures left me with a comunication between my mouth and sinus witch had to be fixed, a broken lower jaw and loads of broken bit of bone around. Ihad another 2 operations to take out pieces that were sticking though my gums. 32 small pieces came out naturally. I stiil have 2 or 3 big quite sharp bit that I am constantly playing with/ wiggleing about. Its driving me mad!!! I recently got some falsies, but they feel REALY strange, like a mouth FULL of plastic. Any changes in your mouth will seem strange and will probably take time to get used to. I would say = dont try and obsess about it too much and accept that it will take time to get used to.