I got a filling for my first time and I guess I could say it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would but I hated it! I choked on the tools and the gloves and metal tasted horrible! after my filling my tooth started hurting like crazy! It still hurts today...I might be going back but going to the dentist is a nightmare *n*

I've had one filling my entire life, at least 5 years ago. It was totally not as bad as I thought it would be.
The moment the procedure begun my trembling stopped. I had worked out a single with the dentist per his suggestion for if I thought I'd choke on the water for the several times he had to rinse me. I never did.

It also helped that the radio on P.A played all my favorite songs.
That filling tooth has gotten quite sore when I chew at times recently so I may actually have to get it looked at.

I also had oral surgery when I was 13 for a crowded mouth, the after experience when I felt the pain was worse than the procedure. This dentist was super cool. I told him I was into pokemon which his son also happened to be so he talked pokemon to me and even told me I'd feel like pikachu for a while referring to the numbness.

Sorry your experience sucked.

I wasn't able to see a dentist until I was about 16, at which point I required a lot of fillings. I lost count. It wasn't that I had terrible oral hygiene or something, I don't know why I needed so many.

I can sympathize with choking on the tools. After having a lot of teeth pulled, a lot of fillings, and three years of braces, I can say that all the tools in my mouth set off my gag reflexes more than once and there were countless times I felt like I was about to gag. The best thing I can recommend is to keep your tongue far back in your mouth, take deep breaths, relax, and try to think about something else. The more you focus on what's going on in your mouth, the more that "aaaah too much stuff in my mouth" panic goes off. If there's music playing, focus on that. Try to recite another song in your head, mentally write a story, make a to-do list, just try to focus on something else. If there's no music, bring your MP3 player and some earbuds and ask if you can listen to it during the procedure. Just be sure to keep the volume low enough that you'll still be able to hear any instructions from the dentist, and keep your finger on the volume control in case you can't.

I've gone to the dentist since I was very little and I've had A LOT of fillings and repairs. I'm not bad at taking care of my teeth or so (I pay the second lowest year cost, so my dentist thinks it's fine), but I have "deep teeth" so they're hard to clean and I get caries easily, also I've had braces. Some people just get caries more often than others.

Going to the dentist is not exactly fun, the fillings is uncomfortable, but it doesn't bother me too much. However after one time when they had troubles with the anesthesia (they had to give the shots several times in the gum >_<). I hate those shots the most so after that time I do it without the anesthesia, which is good because afterwards the mouth isn't all numb, which is nice. I think I might take it next time though to see if I can do it.

I think you should go back to the dentist if you can, the longer one waits with that the worse it can get. :)
Try to focus on something else when you're in the chair, space out. Concentrate on the music (if the dentist has a radio), a dot on the wall or think of something else. Also try to relax, it hurts worse if you are tense. I'm not so bothered with the tools (the cotton things they put in the mouth is awful though), but since you are you might tell the dentist that and ask them to be careful.

I just went to the dentist yesterday! It was for the 6-month checkup. Everything seemed fine, so I got to leave without too much bleeding from my mouth.

I did get a filling a while back though, and it hurt like a b*tch. They did give me something to tone down the pain but even then it wasn't very nice to get a hole drilled into my teeth.

I have three fillings. They're mercury fillings so they want to replace them. One of them leaks and keeps coming lose. I had it replaced twice already. Not sure why they don't just do something to fix it so it doesn't cause problems anymore. I haven't been back to the dentist for a few years since I lost my health coverage but I really do need to go. This one filling hurts sometimes and I'm sure it's not good to have it exposed to the bacteria and what not in my mouth like that.

Yeah my dentist has no radio and I'm working to calm down when I'm at the dentist but I always choke once in a while... Thanks for the tips guys! And Also sharing your great dentist stories!

last fall was my first time to a dentist - at 21 years old ^-^'- and I needed 2 fillings but only got the worst one taken care of.

I was terrified, but they had a tv on playing criminal minds, so I paid more attention to that. They gave me a remote in case I wanted to change channels but it was okay. My mouth hurt after from being stretched out but that was it.

If they don't have a radio, bring your own music player. I bring my own anyway, because if I don't zen out I have a tendency to bite.

You get used to it. I have bad luck with my teeth despite being careful with it and had about 6-7 fillings done within 3 years and just finished my root canal procedure today (one filling got infect =.=")

Maybe find another doctor. A good doctor will really take care of the patient and can make a huge difference. I'm terrified of dentists to the point of tears but my current one is amazing and I'm not afraid to visit him since he's good with his methods.

There is no way my moms letting me change xD She doesn't really care if I feel pain ^^" She just tells me to calm down > n >