Has anyone had significant dental treatments, particularly as an adult?

Has anyone had significant dental treatments, particularly as an adult? What prompted the treatments? How was your experience?

I had a sadistic dentist in my childhood, almost all cavities were drilled without numbing, and I had a lot. The cleanings always really hurt, too. I would feel frozen in fear, and the dentist always reprimanded me for my filthy mouth. If I didn’t brush me teeth, we will brush them for you, he said, as he got out the drill and it bored into my clamped-open mouth. I once tried to reach up and grab the drill, and was then restrained while the dentist drilled and filled four cavities with no numbing.

When I became an adult, I didn’t go for three years. When I finally did go, I had 26 cavities on 19 teeth. I had a six hour visit to the dentist chair. First, the nurse put on a pulse-ox monitor on my finger. Then, a molt prop in my mouth. A mask was placed over my mouth and nose. This made me hold still for the dentist, as the gas made moving very difficult. It made me a little bit drowsy. Then, nasal cannulas were placed in my nose. I was already laying all the way back. A suction hose was hooked into my mouth. It looked humiliating. Then, the dentist came. He gave me shot after shot after shot. Then, the whirring and whining of the drill began. Sometimes hurting, but sometimes not. Sorry, we just have to clean out this cavity here, he would say. Moans came out of me two times. Just a little bit more, he said about three hours in. After six hours, I was finally done.

I certainly can't compare to what happened to @Mebmbb and I really hope she's in a better place with her dental situation.

As for me my parents stopped taking me to the dentist when I was 16. I didn't make going back a priority until I was well into my 20's and when I finally turned up I had 10 cavities and was diagnosed with gum disease (my health habits and diet were terrible during this period and I paid the price for it). I had to have a pair of extensive Scaling and Root Planing appointments followed by a final cleaning appointment before the Dentist took care of all my cavities in 2 visits. Over the next 2 years I had 4 more teeth develop carious lesions. Fortunately no new teeth have had cavities since then but I have had to get several fillings redone over the years.

Had three teeth removed recently and some gum surgery. Still have the stiches. More to come unfortunately. Neglected my teeth in the last few years because I couldn't afford the treatment. Suffering for it now.

Thank goodness the government is chipping in for us old fogies now. Still have more work to be done.

The only thing enjoyable about these visits is the delightful hygienist who always gives me a nice hug after.

At age 42, I made the decision to correct a rather severe and deep overbite to deal with TMJ issues with the installation of full metal braces, which I wore for almost three years. I had been given the choice of having “jaw-breaking surgery” with two pre-molar extractions which would have sped up the corrective process — OR — wear headgear virtually 24/7 along with rubber bands and upper power chains, etc, for about three years. So, there I was, a guy in my early forties, wearing full braces and headgear everywhere I went, including at work! My orthodontist was rather surprised I chose the “headgear route” as an adult. He said I was only one, of two, adult patients he ever treated who chose the headgear treatment. At the time, my wife was a hospital RN — and was familiar with this jaw surgery — warned me of the real problems often encountered with the procedure and persuaded me to avoid it at ALL costs. After three years of constant pressure on my teeth and jaws from the braces, my bite was corrected. When the braces were finally removed I was given removable Hawley retainers, which I still wear at night — at age 76 — so everything stays in proper alignment.

The ads on TV that suggest new teeth in a day are B.S. I'm just about to get my permanent snap in dentures after 5 months. The first effort, under general anesthesia did not go well. My BP tanked and my heart rate skyrocketed. They only got my top teeth pulled and implants affixed. I was given local anesthesia (Lidocaine) 2.5 weeks later to remove the bottoms and affix the implants. Again, I had the same reaction and wound up in the hospital for 6 days. The 6 doctors figured I had an infection from the dental work (vegetation on a heart valve). After 6 weeks of daily antibiotic infusions, I was told there was no sign of infection. I tried to tell them I merely had a reaction to the drugs that interacted with my maintenance meds due to prior heart failure and surgery. They didn't believe my self diagnosis and visits with Doctor Google.

Thank goodness I'm 24 hours away from a new smile and a good steak. I did lose 30 pounds during the ordeal. I guess that there was a positive aspect...besides, those frequent enemas for constipation and medication reactions were also an upside as a result of my own prescribed treatment!

Yes I had a TMJ done some years ago.

Hips does after and all top teeth extracted

My experience is similar to @RandomBob. When I could drive I stopped going to the dentist because I really disliked my pediatric dentist and my parents had nothing but bad things to say about their dentist. Fast forward 4-5 years and was downing a greasy hambuger with some cold beer around 2am at a bar and my back molar started throbbing. After a week of trying to ignore it I caved and went and saw a dentist. Had about 5-6 cavities mostly in my back molars (one of which was really bad). Had a couple appointments of a lot of drilling but they got filled. Since then have had maybe 3-4 cavities and had a few of those fillings replaced.

Dentist wanted me to get a gum grafting years ago and I did a consult but canceled the appointment, and never got it done but it hasn't really come up again. I've had a couple deep cleanings because my gums tend to get swollen.