Periodondist & Analgesia
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From: Chopper on 5 Aug 2008 07:11 I posted the text below several days ago and have received no feedback. Am wondering if no one wants to speak out against another member of "the club? I have been going to a Periodontist who seems to be averse to using topical anesthetics. I am preparing to get a 4 quadrant "pocket reduction' (flap procedure) with the use of bone materials to enhance the stability of my gums and teeth. To date I have gone for quarterly cleanings by his Dental Hygienist who I ask to liberally apply topical anesthetic gel, which she does. I have some very sensitive areas in my gums. She wants to use the Cavitron device but I have found that to be unbearable and have even requested that I get Novacaine injections if she insists on using it but then strangely she changes her mind. Anyway, I am scheduled for a thorough pre-surgery cleaning by the Periodontist himself in a few weeks. When he does it he refuses to use a topical anesthetic saying that I should raise my fingers if the pain is too intense. Does this make sense? I have asked him about this and he says that he uses the patient's reaction to pain as his "limiting factor" when doing this cleaning work. I have had pocket reductions before and the now retired dentist always was generous in his use of Novacaine in cleaning and surgeries and it was relatively painless. I would think that allowing him to get to certain sensitive areas by numbing them would enhance his ability to clean those areas. Bottom line is that I am getting anxious about this forthcoming cleaning not to mention the surgery itself. He told me that of course he uses Novacaine when doing the surgery but I wonder if he bothers to apply topical gel to the area to be injected and does he give one sufficient Novacaine? He has also had his dental tools in my mouth when an assistant comes by his door for example and he leaves the drill or whatever running while he looks towards her and away from me. I have had a fair amount of Dental Work previously but have never had this type of trepidation before nor am I a complaining type of patient. The term "painless dentistry" is nonsense but am I supposed to endure torture sessions? That's a rhetorical question of course. Am wondering if I should just chuck him altogether? Any feedback will be appreciated.
From: tenthmed on 5 Aug 2008 08:47 OK. I'll bite, no pun intended. Your post and tone seem remarkably similar to that previously posted by a certain "a_riot(a)gmail.com" who complains about lack of consent for and injury from an occlusal equilibration. I would say that his/her post was a troll by an unhappy dental professional or a very intuitive lay person. Perhaps you and "a_riot" are the same person trolling SMD. Maybe that's why no one is responding as they "get it". Try another email domain and change your writing style. Maybe then you'll hook something.
From: Mark & Steven Bornfeld on 5 Aug 2008 11:55 Chopper wrote: > I posted the text below several days ago and have received no feedback. > Am wondering if no one wants to speak out against another member of > "the club? > > > > > > > > > > > > I have been going to a Periodontist who seems to be averse to using > topical > anesthetics. > > I am preparing to get a 4 quadrant "pocket reduction' (flap procedure) > with the > use of > bone materials to enhance the stability of my gums and teeth. > > To date I have gone for quarterly cleanings by his Dental Hygienist who > I ask to > liberally > apply topical anesthetic gel, which she does. I have some very > sensitive areas > in my > gums. > She wants to use the Cavitron device but I have found that to be > unbearable and > have > even requested that I get Novacaine injections if she insists on using > it but > then strangely > she changes her mind. > > Anyway, I am scheduled for a thorough pre-surgery cleaning by the > Periodontist > himself > in a few weeks. When he does it he refuses to use a topical anesthetic > saying > that I > should raise my fingers if the pain is too intense. Does this make > sense? > > I have asked him about this and he says that he uses the patient's > reaction to > pain as his > "limiting factor" when doing this cleaning work. I have had pocket > reductions > before and > the now retired dentist always was generous in his use of Novacaine in > cleaning > and > surgeries and it was relatively painless. I would think that allowing > him to > get to certain > sensitive areas by numbing them would enhance his ability to clean > those areas. > > Bottom line is that I am getting anxious about this forthcoming > cleaning not to > mention > the surgery itself. He told me that of course he uses Novacaine when > doing the > surgery > but I wonder if he bothers to apply topical gel to the area to be > injected and > does he give > one sufficient Novacaine? He has also had his dental tools in my mouth > when an > assistant > comes by his door for example and he leaves the drill or whatever > running while > he looks > towards her and away from me. > > I have had a fair amount of Dental Work previously but have never had > this type > of > trepidation before nor am I a complaining type of patient. > > The term "painless dentistry" is nonsense but am I supposed to endure > torture > sessions? > That's a rhetorical question of course. > > Am wondering if I should just chuck him altogether? > > > Any feedback will be appreciated. There is no good reason not to use topical. However, most topical doesn't work very well. I use it anyway--maybe more for placebo effect than anything else. My brother just read to me a blurb about a new (and of course very expensive) topical called "Profound" and "Profound Lite" which are supposed to be the bees knees. I may try a tube. It's manufactured by Steven's Pharmacy in Costa Mesa CA. If any of the guys out there have any experience with it I'd love to hear. As for your periodontist--maybe this is just a peculiarity, but if he in general does not seem sensitive to your anxiety about the treatment, consider going elsewhere. Going to a periodontist is not a one-off--he may have such a light hand you find you don't need topical, but this may be a red light that he's not as attuned to your apprehension as he should. You may spend a lot of time in his chair over the years in maintenance, and you've got to think about that. I should caution that while we want the periodontist who's the nicest guy, the best diagnostician, has the best office staff, has the best surgical technique, the best emergency coverage, the prettiest auxiliaries and the sweetest breath, it's tough to find the whole package in one man or woman. Their fees are high, and they don't take your insurance! Steve -- Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS http://www.dentaltwins.com Brooklyn, NY 718-258-5001
From: Chopper on 5 Aug 2008 14:42 [[ This message was both posted and mailed: see the "To," "Cc," and "Newsgroups" headers for details. ]] In article <R7KdnVO549AG1wXVnZ2dnUVZ_jOdnZ2d(a)trueband.net>, tenthmed <tenthmed(a)aol.com> wrote: Hi and thanks for "biting" and no I am not a "troll". I have much more going on in my life than to trol a dental group of all things. I will have to read the post by "a_riot(a)gmail.com" but what does "lack of consent" and "occlusal equilIbration" have in common with my question re: my Periodontist's disinclination to use analgesics? Also, millions of people already have gmail addresses. I posted it because I think I am a "very intuitive lay person" but how intuitive does one have to be to want to avoid gratuitous discomfort if everything I know and have had experienced with prior Periodontal work from my now-retired Periodiontist proved that only minor discomfort was all that was involved. I was puzzled by what was going on with my Periodontist and what his reasoning if any could be in this matter. In any event my common sense and past experience made my decison for me, and that is to go elswhere. Thanks > OK. I'll bite, no pun intended. > > Your post and tone seem remarkably similar to that previously posted by > a certain "a_riot(a)gmail.com" who complains about lack of consent for and > injury from an occlusal equilibration. > > I would say that his/her post was a troll by an unhappy dental > professional or a very intuitive lay person. > > Perhaps you and "a_riot" are the same person trolling SMD. Maybe that's > why no one is responding as they "get it". > > Try another email domain and change your writing style. Maybe then > you'll hook something.
From: Amatus Cremona on 9 Aug 2008 17:01
Try some T.A.C. some day (or at least the TAC Substitute) "Mark & Steven Bornfeld" <bornfeldmung(a)dentaltwins.com> wrote in message news:dK_lk.274$T91.75(a)trnddc04... > Chopper wrote: >> I posted the text below several days ago and have received no feedback. >> Am wondering if no one wants to speak out against another member of >> "the club? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> I have been going to a Periodontist who seems to be averse to using >> topical >> anesthetics. >> >> I am preparing to get a 4 quadrant "pocket reduction' (flap procedure) >> with the >> use of >> bone materials to enhance the stability of my gums and teeth. >> >> To date I have gone for quarterly cleanings by his Dental Hygienist who >> I ask to >> liberally >> apply topical anesthetic gel, which she does. I have some very >> sensitive areas >> in my >> gums. >> She wants to use the Cavitron device but I have found that to be >> unbearable and >> have >> even requested that I get Novacaine injections if she insists on using >> it but >> then strangely >> she changes her mind. >> >> Anyway, I am scheduled for a thorough pre-surgery cleaning by the >> Periodontist >> himself >> in a few weeks. When he does it he refuses to use a topical anesthetic >> saying >> that I >> should raise my fingers if the pain is too intense. Does this make >> sense? >> >> I have asked him about this and he says that he uses the patient's >> reaction to >> pain as his >> "limiting factor" when doing this cleaning work. I have had pocket >> reductions >> before and >> the now retired dentist always was generous in his use of Novacaine in >> cleaning >> and >> surgeries and it was relatively painless. I would think that allowing >> him to >> get to certain >> sensitive areas by numbing them would enhance his ability to clean >> those areas. >> >> Bottom line is that I am getting anxious about this forthcoming >> cleaning not to >> mention >> the surgery itself. He told me that of course he uses Novacaine when >> doing the >> surgery >> but I wonder if he bothers to apply topical gel to the area to be >> injected and >> does he give >> one sufficient Novacaine? He has also had his dental tools in my mouth >> when an >> assistant >> comes by his door for example and he leaves the drill or whatever >> running while >> he looks >> towards her and away from me. >> >> I have had a fair amount of Dental Work previously but have never had >> this type >> of >> trepidation before nor am I a complaining type of patient. >> >> The term "painless dentistry" is nonsense but am I supposed to endure >> torture >> sessions? >> That's a rhetorical question of course. >> >> Am wondering if I should just chuck him altogether? >> >> >> Any feedback will be appreciated. > > > > There is no good reason not to use topical. However, most topical doesn't > work very well. I use it anyway--maybe more for placebo effect than > anything else. > My brother just read to me a blurb about a new (and of course very > expensive) topical called "Profound" and "Profound Lite" which are > supposed to be the bees knees. I may try a tube. It's manufactured by > Steven's Pharmacy in Costa Mesa CA. If any of the guys out there have any > experience with it I'd love to hear. > As for your periodontist--maybe this is just a peculiarity, but if he in > general does not seem sensitive to your anxiety about the treatment, > consider going elsewhere. Going to a periodontist is not a one-off--he > may have such a light hand you find you don't need topical, but this may > be a red light that he's not as attuned to your apprehension as he should. > You may spend a lot of time in his chair over the years in maintenance, > and you've got to think about that. > I should caution that while we want the periodontist who's the nicest guy, > the best diagnostician, has the best office staff, has the best surgical > technique, the best emergency coverage, the prettiest auxiliaries and the > sweetest breath, it's tough to find the whole package in one man or woman. > Their fees are high, and they don't take your insurance! > > Steve > > -- > Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS > http://www.dentaltwins.com > Brooklyn, NY > 718-258-5001 |