I drank drano when I was 3, had false teeth by 5.

My mom told me the dentist used to slap me when I cried. So my first experience with a dentist wasn't so good. That was 1948.

I had other bad experiences in 1975 when an Air Force dentist in Madrid Spain asked me if I wanted an injection for pain while he was drilling into my front teeth. He gave me a shot, but left an air pocket under that filling. We left for the USA the next day and I had an excruciating flight home. We were the crew, so I had to go.

Since then things have been "ok".

Now my drano is catching up with me. 3 sections of my teeth will fall over sideways in the next couple of years. I was told to get this surgery ten years ago, but hoped something might "fix it".

I was told the oral surgeon, I forget his specialty, will scrape the roof of my mouth, then put the skin over the roots of my teeth.
I didn't say that very well, but I am hoping someone here has had it done and knows how well it works.

No one here seems to know how long it might be before I need another 3 surgeries. I think he will cover a total of ten teeth, or at least the roots. I am already on morphine for pain, but this is a different type of pain.

Anyone here have that kind of surgery? I was told the pain was like when you scrape the roof of your mouth, and it only lasts a few days. Anyone know?

I have those awfull thoughts about those Dentists from are childhood
they hurt and just pulled not a thing to numb it. My mom use to have to
hold me in the chair and all I would do was scream..I remember my
brother talking about the miltary dentists... I having had to go
through what you have but got to get brave and get alot of work done.
Good luck Sue

Hi Dllfo,

Bryanna will be along soon and will have somethng to offer. She works in the dental trade and is very informed. for the pain.

Hi dllfo,

I believe the procedure you are describing is called a free gingival graft. It is usually done by a Periodontist.

This procedure is done to cover areas of the tooth where the gum has worn away and part of the root is exposed. This worn away gum tissue is called recession.

The procedure is usually done in this manner:
The teeth to be worked on are numbed up and so is the palate. Those teeth are scraped of all debris and the gum tissue is roughed up a little bit so it can bond with the new tissue during the healing phase. Then donor tissue is removed from the palate and sutured over the areas of recession.

When the anesthetic wears off, the donor site on the palate will feel similar to a pizza burn for a few days, but it does heal very quickly. You will be instructed to eat a soft diet for a few days, nothing hot or spicy. You will also avoid brushing those teeth until you see the dentist for your first post op visit.

I'm sorry you have had such horrible experiences in the dental chair. I've had several myself and believe that most of the public has had at least one negative experience at one time or another. Hopefully you now have a dentist who has a better chairside manner.

Please let us know how you're doing!

Bryanna