What is the worst dentist appointment you have had?

[shh]

dupe post - deleted

 

[shh]

No nightmare pain stories like these, but many poor experiences - including an extraction that shouldn't have happened and a failed implant in that spot - so a ton of money spent for nothing. Despite religious brushing, flossing, water pik and other tools every single day and 4 cleanings a year, I am still cursed with horrible teeth.

This thread is therapeutic though - misery loves company lol

 

[RUDisney]

I hadn't had a cavity in an adult tooth ever. The dentist I had been using was SO busy all the time and I hated waiting for him to catch up to get to me, so I switched to a new dentist.

Every time I went to him, he claimed I had a cavity that needed to be filled. This went on for 2 years. I switched dentists again and voila, I haven't had a cavity since.

I have a silver fillings in my mouth for nothing!

 

[bellanotte10]

12, getting a mold for braces. I have a terrible gag reflex. I started throwing up with the molds in, and he wouldn't take them out. So i started crying, then gagging, then throwing up...then started choking because of said crying gagging and throwing up with giant oversized molds in my mouth, all while he was yelling at me because it shouldn't be that hard to do. I am now TERRIFIED of dentists. Luckily when i had my jaw surgery my new dentist and oral surgeon recognized that and were wonderful with me and let me have breaks when i start getting worked up.

 

[tylerandalexsmom]

I had a wonderful dentist growing up, but after college I moved around a lot. I had some dentists that were good, and only one that I didn't like, but the rest were st least ok. But then about 17 years ago, my husband and I had moved (again), and I went to a dentist in the new area for a cleaning. The hygienist was great, but then the dentist came in to talk about my xrays - they had all this cool equipment and all the files, xrays, etc were on the computer (new at that time). He said in had 7 cavities (I'd never had 7 cavities in my life!!! And still haven't if you don't count this episode), including 2 that were around old fillings (the silver kind, which were about 18 or more years old at that time) which he said needed to be replaced. I thought ok, those old silver things will be replaced with porcelain, so no one will see them (but they are all the way in the back, so no one could really have seen them anyway....). I had an appointment to go back for the fillings. (I went in the morning, and my husband went for a cleaning late that afternoon and there was only 1 other name on the list between us when he checked in, if that tells you anything!) The dentist came in and did 3 of the supposed 7 cavities, including the two old silver fillings in the back. His hands shook!! (He also had that big red bulbous nose like a heavy drinker) It made me nervous, so I made him stop after those 3 (he was going to do all 7 that day). They tried to make me pay for all 7 fillings that day (their policy was you had to pay for everything the day of the visit - gee, I wonder why....) I refused and only paid for the 3 he did that day (which I wish I hadn't!) The numbness wore off, and my mouth was killing me!! It felt like I was biting down on glass shards anytime I ate anything! And I could feel with my tongue a big gap between the tooth and the filling. This went on for a month or two, and finally I couldn't take it any longer. Food would get trapped in that gap, and I knew I really would have a cavity there. And I hurt to eat or even close my mouth. So I went to a new dentist- he took one look in my mouth, and immediately went to work- it was Christmas Eve, and he stayed late to fix it! (He said he really couldn't drill anymore on those back teeth because that other guy went so deep, it was basically a root canal, but he never packed it with the stuff to cushion it, so that filling, what there was of it, was on bare nerve!) The (good) dentist took out those fillings, packed the teeth with a cushion, and then filled them (properly). As for those other 4 so-called cavities that other dentist told me still needed to be filled - the new dentist said I didn't have any cavities (and I have never since then either!). I guess that bad dentist had to pay for all that cool equipment some way! Oh, and that awful dentist- his office sent me a bill and then called me to collect for those other 4 fillings he never did (and apparently were never needed)! I told them he had done such a crappy job on what he did do that I had to go to another dentist (and pay again) to get it fixed, and I was certainly not going to pay for work that was not done (and not needed), and that they were lucky I didn't sue the pants off of them for the bad work that was done! (Actually, I don't think I used as nice wording as that )

 

[RUDisney]

I had a wonderful dentist growing up, but after college I moved around a lot. I had some dentists that were good, and only one that I didn't like, but the rest were st least ok. But then about 17 years ago, my husband and I had moved (again), and I went to a dentist in the new area for a cleaning. The hygienist was great, but then the dentist came in to talk about my xrays - they had all this cool equipment and all the files, xrays, etc were on the computer (new at that time). He said in had 7 cavities (I'd never had 7 cavities in my life!!! And still haven't if you don't count this episode), including 2 that were around old fillings (the silver kind, which were about 18 or more years old at that time) which he said needed to be replaced. I thought ok, those old silver things will be replaced with porcelain, so no one will see them (but they are all the way in the back, so no one could really have seen them anyway....). I had an appointment to go back for the fillings. (I went in the morning, and my husband went for a cleaning late that afternoon and there was only 1 other name on the list between us when he checked in, if that tells you anything!) The dentist came in and did 3 of the supposed 7 cavities, including the two old silver fillings in the back. His hands shook!! (He also had that big red bulbous nose like a heavy drinker) It made me nervous, so I made him stop after those 3 (he was going to do all 7 that day). They tried to make me pay for all 7 fillings that day (their policy was you had to pay for everything the day of the visit - gee, I wonder why....) I refused and only paid for the 3 he did that day (which I wish I hadn't!) The numbness wore off, and my mouth was killing me!! It felt like I was biting down on glass shards anytime I ate anything! And I could feel with my tongue a big gap between the tooth and the filling. This went on for a month or two, and finally I couldn't take it any longer. Food would get trapped in that gap, and I knew I really would have a cavity there. And I hurt to eat or even close my mouth. So I went to a new dentist- he took one look in my mouth, and immediately went to work- it was Christmas Eve, and he stayed late to fix it! (He said he really couldn't drill anymore on those back teeth because that other guy went so deep, it was basically a root canal, but he never packed it with the stuff to cushion it, so that filling, what there was of it, was on bare nerve!) The (good) dentist took out those fillings, packed the teeth with a cushion, and then filled them (properly). As for those other 4 so-called cavities that other dentist told me still needed to be filled - the new dentist said I didn't have any cavities (and I have never since then either!). I guess that bad dentist had to pay for all that cool equipment some way! Oh, and that awful dentist- his office sent me a bill and then called me to collect for those other 4 fillings he never did (and apparently were never needed)! I told them he had done such a crappy job on what he did do that I had to go to another dentist (and pay again) to get it fixed, and I was certainly not going to pay for work that was not done (and not needed), and that they were lucky I didn't sue the pants off of them for the bad work that was done! (Actually, I don't think I used as nice wording as that )

Sounds like we went to the same guy... though I don't think mine was a drinker... just trying to pay off his student loans.

 

[ThisIsJason]

I was 14. First time ever getting a cavity filled. He is doing his thing and I thought it was taking way to long, even though I never had this done before. All of the sudden I feel this sharp pain shooting thru my body, like I got stabbed. The idiot went down to the nerve of the tooth. I was crying like crazy, it was bad. 'Oops, I drilled down to far' is all he said. I left that appointment told my dad I would never go to him again and found my own dentist the next time I needed a cleaning. Went to the new person and she told me the tooth that was filled 7 months before needed to come out because the filling was on the nerve and it was infected and couldn't be saved.

Ended up going after the old dentist for malpractice. Come to find out I, well my parents, weren't the only ones. With my case he had 5 open cases against him. Somehow the guy is still practicing to this day.

 

[Moliphino]

I haven't had anything too bad, really. The worst was having laughing gas for the first time for my wisdom teeth and finding out it makes me super paranoid. I was preparing to scream if they couldn't find a vein for the sodium pent (they did, thank God, and I was out before screaming was necessary). There was no way I could've gone through the surgery with just the laughing gas.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I suppose when I had my wisdom teeth removed when I was 16 or 17. It wasn't at my regular dentist; it was probably an oral surgeon. He was supposed to do both sides of my mouth on the same day, but ran into a problem with one of the teeth. He had to use the dental equivalent of a hammer and chisel and bang it out. It wasn't painful since I was novocained-up, but it was a most unpleasant experience. He decided to wait to do the other side of my mouth about a month later. No problems with the second visit.

I had the under-the-gums scraping twice. Not painful, just an odd sensation.

 

[firefly_ris]

I was probably like 10 or 11 and was having a cavity filled by our dentist who should have retired about 6 years prior.... anyway the drill slipped and it jammed into the side of my mouth. I didn't feel anything at the time since it was numb, but then when I got home I had a lot of pain and noticed the inside of my cheek was all torn up. Now I have a bit of a lump/scar tissue there that I sometimes tend to bite when I'm eating, what a pain.

 

[LCoulter]

Yikes, some of these experiences are bad.

I really haven't had any bad experiences with dentists despite having to change dentists after moving. I have had a few bad experiences with dental hygienists though.

I am old but only have a few fillings so my teeth are in good shape and I go every 6 months with no problems. One dental hygienist is working on my teeth and telling me how bad my teeth are and that if I don't take better care of them, they will "fall out of my head". So now I am anxiously awaiting the dentist to take a look and I worrying about what could have happened to my teeth that they were suddenly so bad. Dentist comes in, looks around at my teeth, says looks good, see you in 6 months. I leave confused but when I get home, I call and ask why the huge discrepancy between the two. Dentist spoke to me and said that my teeth are good and he would talk to hygienist.

Another hygienist was working on me and it was the most painful cleaning I have ever had. I usually like cleanings because I find them relaxing and my teeth feel so good afterward. After leaving, I realize she shredded areas of my gums which I could feel skin hanging with my tongue. I called and reported it to dental office. I didn't see her again on my next visit.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I had a great dentist growing up, but eventually he retired. The dentist who took over the practice was clearly more about money...I started getting pressure to have cosmetic procedures done, and even my hygienist said, "The new guy REALLY pushes procedures." All of the long-time hygienists eventually left. I ended up with one of the 2 "under-dentists" (the main guy and 2 dentists under him). The last time I went there, I was undergoing IVF and there was a possibility that I was pregnant. He clearly became irritated that I couldn't have x-rays and told me that "infertility treatment and pregnancy are going to rot your teeth." Then he roughly poked around, turned to the hygienist and said, "She needs to make an appointment to have 2 of those teeth drilled, I don't like the grooves in them." I spoke up and asked why; he said, "You're going to get food stuck in them." I told him that those grooves have been there forever and Dr. R. had no issues with them, to which he replied, "Dr. R. let a lot of things go." I went for a second opinion elsewhere and was told absolutely not, there was nothing wrong with those teeth and I'd have a lot more problems if I drilled perfectly healthy teeth.

A few months later, I learned that the head dentist actually killed a patient, so that solidified my decision to never go back.

 

[bellanotte10]

I haven't had anything too bad, really. The worst was having laughing gas for the first time for my wisdom teeth and finding out it makes me super paranoid. I was preparing to scream if they couldn't find a vein for the sodium pent (they did, thank God, and I was out before screaming was necessary). There was no way I could've gone through the surgery with just the laughing gas.

This happened to me!!

 

[Pooh2]

When I had a reaction to the anesthesia they gave me for my wisdom tooth surgery and I didn't wake up for half a day.

This happened to one of my twin boys.
The first twin got a bit too much anesthesia.
The doc "backed off the pedal" for twin 2 who was done immediately after twin 1.
The dentist and dad had to carry twin 1 to the car to vacate the chair for twin 2 to get his teeth out.
Dentist was very apologetic!

 

[mummabear]

I broke my two front teeth in half when I was a teenager. They repaired them, but now at 34 they needed to be redone (another two root canals) because they had become infected inside, and had gone into my jaw killing off the tooth next to it (yay 3rd root canal-actually this one had to be done twice to get all sorted)
Well the dentist had a TV on its ceiling and while they were busy setting up my mouth with the numbing etc the show is all about bats and spiders so I tell him this isnt a great calming show, thankfully he changes it to an episode about a swimming sloth on a tropical island, ahhh nice, except next up is komodo dragons tearing animals apart and lastly my greatest fear snakes. So here I am drill in my mouth, no where to look except at a screen of snakes....it was the bad place

 

[AustinTink]

This happened to one of my twin boys.
The first twin got a bit too much anesthesia.
The doc "backed off the pedal" for twin 2 who was done immediately after twin 1.
The dentist and dad had to carry twin 1 to the car to vacate the chair for twin 2 to get his teeth out.
Dentist was very apologetic!

My appointment was for 9am. I "slept" in a recovery room until the clinic closed at 5pm. Then they had my husband carry me out to the car. The doctor called a few times that night to see if i was awake yet. I woke up around 11pm just as my husband was contemplating taking me to the er.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

Dentist here, and fellow Disboarder. I come in peace

If you find a good, gentle, caring and trustworthy dentist, stick with them, let them know you appreciate it, and tell all of your friends. Because it is sooooo much harder to be a great dentist than it is to be a passable dentist. It takes more time, so the dentist can’t be overbooked and in a hurry. We have to listen to our patients, because knowing about one of these awful experiences may change how we take care of you. We have to make decisions WITH our patients, in their best interests (not our bottom line). The stories of “all of a sudden I had 10 cavities” scare me. And thankfully, I think it is very rare. But it can happen. I’ve seen it, corrected the misconceptions, and made friends for life by treating people well. But this kind of dentistry can’t be done on roller skates, zipping in and out of rooms.

Let’s face it, even great dentistry is still no fun. There’s still some dude all in your personal space. But it can be better!

Sorry, guys. Carry on...

 

[pahoben]

One of my twins had some cavities and went to a well known pediatric dentist. She was a screamer at that time. He said we need to knock her out and put crowns on her rear baby teeth. I asked for details of the anesthetic and so had to get them from the guy that did anesthesia. I went through all the components and realized that some of them not the best for a five year old brain. We decided not to do it and wait. After a year we had moved to a location outside the US and my daughter had become more manageable at the dentists office. They just filled her teeth with the usual local and no problems at all. She is almost seven now and just lost her two front lower baby teeth and all is well. Glad we didn’t go the anesthetic route.

I had an impacted wisdom tooth that was removed by a dentist who was a tough ex Marine. He gave me the local and told me he would be back in a few minutes. He came back and started prepping the other side that hadn’t been numbed. I had my share of testosterone and thought for some foolish reason this tough guy was just trying to get a reaction from me. He picked up a scalpel and started to cut and I realized he had just screwed up and got him to stop and do the side that was numbed.

I sympathize with the gaggers above because I am an uncontrollable gagger. They have tried all the usual trick as and none work but the last time they gave me Xanax and that did help. I hate those trays for molds.

 

[indimom]

Nothing traumatic, but a lesson learned for me. I was an adult, probably in my 30s, and I needed a filling to a cavity between two molars (so on the side of the tooth). I guess in order to do that, he had to put a metal ring around the tooth, and it went between the two molars (and my teeth are very very tight). Even with the novocain, it was agony... I guess from the pressure of putting that metal piece between the teeth, the pain didn't ease until it was removed. I kept thinking it would be over soon and waiting it out, but it ended up taking much longer than other fillings I had gotten in the past.
I will never do that again, I will ask for more shots because it was torture... But I don't blame the dentist, I never told him it hurt, but just suffered through it.

 

[mrsheppo]

Our dentist during my teen years was fairly well respected in our community but he had a dirty little secret, he was a "touchy, feely" type of guy. This was back in the 70's. I had to have a root canal and he gave me a twilight type of anesthesia. After he was done with the procedure, I started to come to and discovered him with his hands on my breasts and up my skirt. I went into hysterics and ran out of the office. He told my mother that I had a reaction to the anesthesia and he was trying to comfort me. I told her that night what happened but because he was so respected, I was not believed. This left me traumatized around dentists even until today. Anytime I have to deal with a dentist I have severe anxiety.
Many years later, I read that the dentist was accused of sexual assault by other women and ended up losing his license and going to prison