It’s been a while since I’ve been on here as my pain has been very well controlled and I am not currently on any meds.
My trigeminal neuropathy began at the dentist’s when I was getting 3 fillings, and now over 4 years later and despite my efforts with oral care, I need more.
In all honesty, I am completely terrified. I am so scared my pain will come back in full force and that I will be in the same miserable position I was in years ago.
It would be a huge help to me if anyone could give me some advice on specifics for what I should ask for and what I should avoid at the dentist’s while getting fillings.
It would also be a huge comfort to hear others’ stories of getting dental work post-TN/TNP. I honestly feel like I’m going to lose years of work of getting my pain under control over this.
Hi Liz - take heart!! I too began a 3 year journey with atypical TN/ facial pain / neuropathy after getting 4 fillings done is one fitting,
Finally after 3 years the pain came under control but I also had 3 missing teeth as I had three pulled due to the pain before I knew it was Atypical TN,
So I was faced with having my teeth shift and having more major dental issues OR getting implants. It sounds crazy but I got the implants. I went a world class Harvard trained oral surgeon who made sure the implants would not come near the major nerve lines. They did NOT cause a relapse!!!
If I could give you one piece of advice it would be DONT get all three fillings at once. Get one done, then wait at least a month to make sure no issues. Then the second, Then the third.
ALL the stories I’ve read where people traced it back to dental trauma involved getting multiple teeth done at once.
I got one and implant, waited a year, then got second. I’ll get last one next year.
I need a filling and two crowns right now and the dentist said she could do all at once. I said no I need to do one at a time.
Also don’t go to a dentist that tries rushing around to work on 3-4 patients at same time. Best is a dentist with small practice that will give you there sole focus.
Whatever you do don’t let them measure your pockets in between the teeth. Sets me off for a long time when they do that. Take an extra dose of your medicines that morning and the next. Go home and take a nap after.
Never never stay in a dentist chair for over an hour…my pain started after a filling which was elective and turned into a cap. The dentist kept saying it would be just a little bit longer and my pain started that day in the chair. Now I limit my time in the dental chair, limit the time my mouth is open and my head is turned. Lastly, I have a massage after to work on the muscles is my neck to relax the area and I take a muscle relaxant before the appointment.
I was also terrified at having a filling in my ATN pain area (my pain is not under great control, but I didn’t want to make it even worse). My neurologist called my dentist and told him to make sure to numb the area extra well with injections and keep it numb during the procedure. I opted for nitrous as well, mainly because I was terrified, as I’m sure you can relate. The procedure went by without any pain at all, I was super relaxed from the nitrous, and the best part was that I didn’t have any pain at all for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until the numbing shot wore off. It was like a little pain-cation. I had no ill effects afterward whatsoever. Good luck to you!
Thank you! That is helpful! It definitely does make sense to try to keep the area as numb as possible. During my initial filling when my pain began, they could NOT numb me completely- despite several injections. It was always something that stood out to me from that experience.
The same thing happened to me! I was having a root canal and they couldn’t get me numb enough to stop feeling the filing in the roots. Not fun! I just assumed the same thing would happen again, but all went very well. Best of luck to you! I’ll hold a good thought that it goes well for you.
All really good comments. I had to have all my upper teeth extracted (only 6) but I was really nervous. Luckily my dentist knew of my TN so she had my oral surgeon prep me good with a muscle relaxer and some great pain killers.
The surgeon knocked me out and was done within half an hour. My gums on the TN side of my face were a little touchy for a while but I did a lot of worrying for nothing. Good Luck.
what were the pain killers I have atypical face pain but not from dental. I recently had a root canal and no problem, implants. I never heard the theory to have 1 filling at a time.not like 3. I take muscle relaxers hydrocoedene, sequrol to sleep and several other meds I would like to throw away and all the drs cannot figure out why I suffer all wakening hours with nerve pain
Hello dbennett24, I’m sorry that I can’t remember exactly which painkillers my oral surgeon gave me; I know one was hydrocodone and diazepam (valium) for anxiety, but the other, I can’t remember. There were only 5 or 6 pills in all but they helped while the doctor put me under. My nerve doctor has me on extended release carbamazephine and gabapentin but as I said,I still have face pain,just on a smaller scale. I’ve noticed that when my facial muscles are highly exaggerated like by laughing or crying, the pain is unstoppable. I pray for you and me and for the day when someone finds a cure for this despicable disease. Hopefully yours, Terry
I know the feeling. My dentist is great and totally understands TN. The guy that cleans my teeth is very careful to let me close my mouth often as is my dentist. That has helped me more than anything. Praying for your peace.