Apicoectomy anyone?

[PrincessPatty]

I am so unbelievably nervous for tommorow. I need to have an apicoectomy done. I dont do so well with dentists. Has anyone had this done before? Can you tell me a little about it? Im worried that I will feel something during the procedure. They have given he Halcion to help the nervousness but I really wanted to be knocked out for it, unfortunatley my insurance wont cover it and I dont have an extra 500$ to be put under. Thanks for the encouragement and advice!!

 

[carole88]

Please don't worry about it. I had one done a few years back. I was awake for it, but they numbed me up so much that I can honestly say that I didn't feel a thing. The procedure went pretty quickly too. I remember saying "You're done?"

Good luck!

 

[mtblujeans]

What type of procedure is this? Can you explain?

 

[PrincessPatty]

What type of procedure is this? Can you explain?

I had a root canal 'go bad' it got re-infected. I already have that tooth crowned, so going through the tooth as they would normally do a root canal would ruin that, so instead they go through the gum and the bone to reach the root where they then take out the infection and part of the root still there, then put a filling where the root was and suture the gum back up....sounds scary huh? Im trying not to be nervous, but I got that bad feeling in the pit of my stomach....

 

[Conkozan]

Oh dear me! Good Luck and I am sure you will be numbed to the high heavens. I had the same problem with a capped tooth needing a root canal and they just went through my cap and filled the cap like a normal tooth. But that was a molar, thinner teeth may not work that way.

 

[Tiggeroo]

i am afraid of the dentist too. Get nitrous. It only costs $50. extra. You feel nothing when you are on nitrous.

 

[PrincessPatty]

Unfortuanatly they dont have nitrous at this Endodontist or thats what they tell me (I know its a conspiracy, dentists hate me!! )

Thanks for the well wishes, I will try to remember these at 10:30 tommorow morning!

 

[mtblujeans]

Oooo...this sounds like something similar to what I am going to be doing in December. Root canal gone bad....broken root....deterioration of jaw bone from tooth rocking around....pulling tooth to see what will happen to bone (if bone will grow back). I am more afraid of the pain killing medicine than the procedure. Sometimes numbing injections make me sick on top of the procedure **sigh** Just looking forward to getting it over with.

Please post in a few days how you are feeling and how the procedure went....I'll be waiting...

 

[FINFAN]

Thought I needed one for same reason, after DDS, Endo, Oral Surgeon and Perio exams ( no one could determine for sure if it was an infection or a fractured root) turns out I did not need the Apio, but had a flap proceedeure done to actually look at my root to determine if fractured, and it was. So, I lost my root, $700 crown, and now need either a bridge or an implant...about $3500-4,000! So much for the WDW trip.
I am also a HUGE chicken/Baby. I needed to be able to drive and had kids to worry about so could not get completely knocked out. I had a 10 mg valium (should've had 20 mg) a boatload of the long acting novacaine, my Dean Martin CD and this act of GENIOUS by the perio...he covered my eyes during the proceedure! This was the best thing ever, no light in my eyes, no seeing the tools pass by, no worries about making a face or wincing (which I did not need to do, it was comletely painfree, and he was digging as my root had fractured in 7 places) and to be honest, I was glad I was coherent as I was ablr to request dissolving stitches ( to me, having stitches removed is just as painful as anything else) and I did not lose the rest of my day, and it was NO WHERE NEAR as awful as I thought. I had been a wreck for 3 weeks while I shuffled between doctors trying to determine if I was going to lose the tooth or not, no one wanted to make a mistake and take it out if not sure.
Anyway, at the time when I thought I needed the Apio, the Endo said it would take about 20 minutes, eat soft foods for a while ( so make that jello, get yogurt, have eggs n the house) and all would be fine. I sure wish that was the outcome, would've been better than losing the tooth! However...so use the eye-cover idea, bring a scarf of your own if you'd likee...I am telling you, I will request this for cleanings even!

Good luck, you will be fine, have them numb your gums with gel before the novacaine injections...anothe fab invention!


Pam
ps MtBlueJeans...I did have cadaver bone placed into my jaw after the extraction so that I can have the implant option if I choose...creeps my DS out. Ihope you don't lose your tooth as I did...it is my lower front molar, so I have to get it replaced. Not to mention the upper molar needs the mate so I don't throw off my bite. I was told that I grind my teeth, and that combined with a HUGE post in my root canal, the root just deteriorated and fractured over time. Root canal was 17 years old. Now I need to get a night mouth guard after I have missing tooth replaced....and all this because I went in for my cleaning!

 

[mtblujeans]

Thought I needed one for same reason, after DDS, Endo, Oral Surgeon and Perio exams ( no one could determine for sure if it was an infection or a fractured root) turns out I did not need the Apio, but had a flap proceedeure done to actually look at my root to determine if fractured, and it was. So, I lost my root, $700 crown, and now need either a bridge or an implant...about $3500-4,000! So much for the WDW trip.
I am also a HUGE chicken/Baby. I needed to be able to drive and had kids to worry about so could not get completely knocked out. I had a 10 mg valium (should've had 20 mg) a boatload of the long acting novacaine, my Dean Martin CD and this act of GENIOUS by the perio...he covered my eyes during the proceedure! This was the best thing ever, no light in my eyes, no seeing the tools pass by, no worries about making a face or wincing (which I did not need to do, it was comletely painfree, and he was digging as my root had fractured in 7 places) and to be honest, I was glad I was coherent as I was ablr to request dissolving stitches ( to me, having stitches removed is just as painful as anything else) and I did not lose the rest of my day, and it was NO WHERE NEAR as awful as I thought. I had been a wreck for 3 weeks while I shuffled between doctors trying to determine if I was going to lose the tooth or not, no one wanted to make a mistake and take it out if not sure.
Anyway, at the time when I thought I needed the Apio, the Endo said it would take about 20 minutes, eat soft foods for a while ( so make that jello, get yogurt, have eggs n the house) and all would be fine. I sure wish that was the outcome, would've been better than losing the tooth! However...so use the eye-cocer idea, bring a scarf of your own if you'd likee...I am telling you, I will request this for cleanings even!

Good luck, you will be fine, have them numb your gums with gel before the novacaine injections...anothe fab invention!


Pam

Sounds just like me and my situation! Thanks for the information!! This is going to bump our WDW trip for next year, too, I think!

 

[grlpwrd]

I had one 2 years ago and I was a bundle of nerves. I agree... it was NO WHERE NEAR as awful as I thought.

I ended up worrying for nothing. I was given general anesthesia and I walked in nervous, sat in the chair and given the anesthesia, quickly fell asleep, then awakened to the dr. (an oral surgeon) and hygienist saying "we're all done now."

I never did the novacaine/numb the gum route, though. For a chicken like me I am glad I went the general anesthesia route. I've also had other procedures with novacaine and I think the sounds are more bothersome than the actual procedures. Would your dentist allow earphones? Listening to music may help.

GL to you!

 

[teentoddlermom]

Had one done about 13 years ago, and it was ok, just uncomfortable. No problem in the chair, but I remember feeling sore afterward for about 24 hours. Never had a problem since in that area of my mouth. Good Luck!

 

[PrincessPatty]

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. I will be taking something to cover my eyes, that sounds great! Should have bought one of those darned Ipods, would've come in handy here. I will let you all know how it turns out, tommorow, if I feel up to it. Once again thanks!

and mtblujeans...hope everything works out for you!!

 

[MoniqueU]

Well good luck with that!!! I need nitrous just to get my teeth cleaned and I still cry. I hate dentists. I would rather have surgery.
But I did have gum graphing done with no pain killers once just a local. They cut the gum off and stiched it on another place. I made it through that ok. This sounds similar except for the bone part.

 

[PrincessPatty]

Thanks MoniqueU!

I will say that with as expensive as health/dental insurance is, they should take into consideration how many people are really frightened by the dentist, and at least pay some of what general anesthesia costs.

 

[MoniqueU]

Thanks MoniqueU!

I will say that with as expensive as health/dental insurance is, they should take into consideration how many people are really frightened by the dentist, and at least pay some of what general anesthesia costs.

I could NOT agree with you more!! And EVERY dentist ought to give you the option of being put under general. My dentist doesn't offer it. Trust me I would max out whatever CC I had to to get my teeth cleaned that way. I take 2 ativan and get the nitrous to get my teeth cleaned and I am still a mess.
One of the toughest things I have gone through as a mom is when my daughter knocked out about 6 teeth 2 of them permanents and broke her mandible jaw. My neighbor ended up smacking me to get me to come to.
I would gladly pay more for better dental coverage but our company just doesn't offer it. We are lucky to have what we have.

 

[mtblujeans]

Interesting....when I went to see the Specialist about this tooth, he asked me about what anxiety level I would have about this situation and I told him my anxiety level was going to be high as I did not want to be there. He was real good about it....first time I have had a dental person ask me how I feel about what I am going through!! However, I usually have a bad reaction to medications such as anesthesia and I would rather have as little as possible as I don't want to be throwing up and trying to keep the 'healing clot' intact after having a tooth pulled. In other words, I may just be screwed!!

 

[PrincessPatty]

Well everyone I made it out alive!! I took 2 Halcion last night and got very sleepy, then this morning at 9:30, I took 1 more and then 1 more when I got to the office. I had my sister come in to hold my hand while they gave me the numbing shot and then she had to leave. I think I did very well. He asked me to think of somewhere else I would rather be and to close my eyes and think about that, so ofcourse I pictured myself in my favorite place!! I even went on a few rides.

Everything is going well to the assistant said "should I go out and tell them now" WELL, since my mouth is wide open I cant get anything out, I didnt find out till the end that he found ANOTHER re-infected tooth right next to it. So he took care of that one too. So the total price went up from 775$ to 1500$, so I guess that was my christmas present from my parents since they had to pick up the remainder.

THe Halcion was wonderful and I would reccommend it to those who have a hard time with the dentist. I felt relaxed and tired, which made it easier to keep my eyes shut and thinking about Disney!

If anyone has any other questions I would be glad to help out! Thanks for the well wishes and pixie dust!

 

[RUDisney]

I'm glad that you made it out alive.

Why did the price double? That's worse than the thought of having the work done, IMO. I mean, if they're already in your mouth and you're all doped up, they don't have to do much more than the cutting and fixing. Double the price seems, well.... mean.

 

[mtblujeans]

I agree.....I think he should have knocked some fees off there!

I am glad you felt well enough to come back and post about your experience. I am fearful I will look like someone hit me with a baseball bat after I get done with my procedure!!

I am glad it is over for you!