Stephanie

I have cold-sensitive teeth, but during my daily life it doesn't bother me much more than I find it a bit hard to bite into a Popsicle.

However, every time I need a filling, no matter how many Novocaine shots I get, that sensitivity is ramped up to 11. It's a sharp, severe cold pain right in the tooth, kind of like placing an ice cube right on the nerve. Last time I had a filling, the dentist told me that it was unsafe to inject any more Novocaine (and I lost count after 10 shots), so I suffered through it.

Yesterday, I had another filling scheduled. This time, I took some prescribed anti-anxiety pills beforehand, but as soon as the pain started, I had one of the worst panic attacks I've ever had at the dentist. The dentist stopped drilling and suggested I come back in another time and he would give me some nitrous to relax me more.

So the question here is: will the nitrous work? I don't think I need to be relaxed--I just need that pain to STOP.

And another question. Is it possible/safe to be completely sedated for a routine filling? Because with this much pain, I don't even want to be awake for the procedure anymore.