Hi, gang.

Sometime in the next month or so, I'm planning a trip to the dentist. This is not a prospect I'm feeling overly keen on. In fact, I outright dread it. There are a few places on the body I'm not very comfortable with other people probing, and the mouth is one of 'em. Maybe it's because I saw The Dentist when I was an impressionable youth, or maybe I just don't like the idea of someone with a big metal hook poking around where it's soft.

Either way, I need to get in and see someone. I was last at the dentist in 2005, and the fella wanted to do a deep clean. He didn't say much else about the state of my mouth, so I assume everything was pretty much okay at the time.

But then all this business with a spinal injury started, and the deep clean got pushed to the back-burner. I lost my ability to work, and the ability to pay a dentist went with it. So I haven't been in to see someone in a long time, and I've got some concerns about it.

First of all, I made the mistake of watching a deep cleaning on YouTube last year. Wow. Just wow. I do believe it haunted my nightmares for something like two weeks. I still get chills thinking about it, and this is on top of my already not inconsiderable fear of the dentist.

Secondly, it's very hard for me to sit in one position for too long. That's a side effect of the spinal damage. And laying on my back in a chair... the very thought makes me ache all over.

So my question is this: is a dentist capable of putting a patient completely under? I'm talking unconscious. It's not going to do either of us any favors if I'm squirming in the chair because the spinal damage won't let me sit still, and knowing what goes on in the mouth during a deep clean... Well, I'd just much rather be unconscious.

I'm also curious if anyone knows roughly how much a deep cleaning will cost me? It was going to run about $300 back in 2005, but the economy has changed significantly since then.

Hi hibiki,

Well, I can see you are very concerned and frightened of dental work... but you certainly haven't lost your sense of humor!!! I am going to suggest that you DON'T watch any more dental procedures on tube EVER AGAIN. My sister was told by an oral surgeon to watch a you-tube video of a wisdom tooth extraction as she was fearfully contemplating have her lower wisdom tooth out. Of course, she didn't tell me he made such a stupid suggestion to her..... and she watched it! I'm surprised the entire world didn't hear her wailing over this video!

There are dentists who perform sedation dentistry for all phases of dental work. You can google..... sedation dentists in your city and see what you come up with. Deep cleanings are called root planing and gingival curettage. The fee depends on your location and if it is done by a periodontist or hygienist. You would have to subject yourself to a comprehensive exam and full mouth series of xrays first.... awake. As far as the metal hook poking you... that instrument is called an explorer and it is generally used delicately, not aggressively like in the past.

And please stay away from any visual dental procedures.....ok ;-)

Bryanna


QUOTE=Hibiki;832808]Hi, gang.

Sometime in the next month or so, I'm planning a trip to the dentist. This is not a prospect I'm feeling overly keen on. In fact, I outright dread it. There are a few places on the body I'm not very comfortable with other people probing, and the mouth is one of 'em. Maybe it's because I saw The Dentist when I was an impressionable youth, or maybe I just don't like the idea of someone with a big metal hook poking around where it's soft.

Either way, I need to get in and see someone. I was last at the dentist in 2005, and the fella wanted to do a deep clean. He didn't say much else about the state of my mouth, so I assume everything was pretty much okay at the time.

But then all this business with a spinal injury started, and the deep clean got pushed to the back-burner. I lost my ability to work, and the ability to pay a dentist went with it. So I haven't been in to see someone in a long time, and I've got some concerns about it.

First of all, I made the mistake of watching a deep cleaning on YouTube last year. Wow. Just wow. I do believe it haunted my nightmares for something like two weeks. I still get chills thinking about it, and this is on top of my already not inconsiderable fear of the dentist.

Secondly, it's very hard for me to sit in one position for too long. That's a side effect of the spinal damage. And laying on my back in a chair... the very thought makes me ache all over.

So my question is this: is a dentist capable of putting a patient completely under? I'm talking unconscious. It's not going to do either of us any favors if I'm squirming in the chair because the spinal damage won't let me sit still, and knowing what goes on in the mouth during a deep clean... Well, I'd just much rather be unconscious.

I'm also curious if anyone knows roughly how much a deep cleaning will cost me? It was going to run about $300 back in 2005, but the economy has changed significantly since then.[/QUOTE]