I have always had issues with the dentist because when I was younger I never had a pain-free visit. I could brush my teeth 5 times a day, and sure enough the dentist would say "3 cavities, I will have to book some appointments for you" - and I would start to cry. Because it ALWAYS hurt. They eventually sent me to a special dentist who had restraining devices so he would be able to work on me.
Fast forward to the age of 21 when I had a job with full dental coverage and lots of cash. I go to a dentist recommended because he uses nitrous oxide (laughing gas) which I figured was the only way I was going to get through having missed 3 years of dental visits. Guess what? First visit for a filling, drill whining away, he sees me flinch in pain even after the needle for freezing. Standard for me, I learned after the age of 12 or so to just dig my nails into my palms until I bled so I could get it over with quickly. "You have branched nerves".
Yes, apparently (unless it was a way to get me to relax and take a new look at my dentists visits) some people have extra nerves that run in unexpected ways, and a needle needs to be placed in every spot to freeze you. Otherwise it is as if you had no freezing done. Wow! Virtually pain free dentistry for the first time in my life! After he redid most of my old worn fillings I stopped using the gas because I was used to his methods and he knew my mouth.
I still have trouble relaxing at the dentist. Apparently I get very flushed, I breathe quickly, and tense up like I am made of steel bands. But I can handle my visits without actually wanting to soil myself, which is a change from what it had been like for the formative years of my life. And I do occassionally have a jolt of pain, or even a serious grind right through me, but he stops right away and nukes me but good with the freezing
