What is your dental experience with cervical spondylosis?

hi, I have this horrible condition and am severly disabled by it, as well as Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis in most of my body.

I have had two teeth out in hospital (due to heart problems) and had no special consideration to my disabilities at all. You need a refferal from your dentist for this. In my area due to cutbacks there are not so many refferals these days.

It sounds as if you need to try a different dentist. I have a lady who is kind and considerate, adjusts the chair and never, ever pushes too hard when doing work.Changing your dentist is not like changing your doctor. You just go to someone else.Then if he/she thinks you need a hospital refferal they can do it for you.

I would ask around if there is a dentist near you that specialises in 'medical dentistry', this means that they are trained and used to people with medical considerations. My gp's surgery recommended mine when I was looking for a better dental surgeon about 10 years ago.

I always wear a soft cervical collar in the dentists chair, my consultant suggested it. I sometimes wear it to the dentist ansd sometimes put it on before getting in the chair. I also wear hand supports.

I truly understand how you feel, I am a little older than you and my life is really affected by my spinal problems.

Depending on the work I'm having done I always take pain medications about an hour before my treatment. Obviously I always tell the dentist what I have taken so she knows. It's always ok and I take serious meds.

Hope this helps a bit. Fanny Jane.

hi, I have this horrible condition and am severly disabled by it, as well as Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis in most of my body.

I have had two teeth out in hospital (due to heart problems) and had no special consideration to my disabilities at all. You need a refferal from your dentist for this. In my area due to cutbacks there are not so many refferals these days.

It sounds as if you need to try a different dentist. I have a lady who is kind and considerate, adjusts the chair and never, ever pushes too hard when doing work.Changing your dentist is not like changing your doctor. You just go to someone else.Then if he/she thinks you need a hospital refferal they can do it for you.

I would ask around if there is a dentist near you that specialises in 'medical dentistry', this means that they are trained and used to people with medical considerations. My gp's surgery recommended mine when I was looking for a better dental surgeon about 10 years ago.

I always wear a soft cervical collar in the dentists chair, my consultant suggested it. I sometimes wear it to the dentist ansd sometimes put it on before getting in the chair. I also wear hand supports.

I truly understand how you feel, I am a little older than you and my life is really affected by my spinal problems.

Depending on the work I'm having done I always take pain medications about an hour before my treatment. Obviously I always tell the dentist what I have taken so she knows. It's always ok and I take serious meds.

Hope this helps a bit. Fanny Jane.

sorry probably clicked twice by accident.

hello thanks for your reply and I appreciate the effort you have made to address my concerns. I would wear a collar if I had one but no doctor has offered me anything and I would not know what size or what sort?

I have not been offered hand supports either and even if I did Ic ant see how they help if you cannot reach

the hand rests on the chair? I have changed my dentist since that last root canal job and she is a tiny Indian lady who is not heavy handed but because she is not strong the injection took longer and I heard a cracking noise. When I mentioned it she looked worried and looked at her spent needle and said it had not broken off..just shows you how lacking in awareness she is because she never realised I meant me not the needle

going crack! (o: Dentists routinely ask about medical conditions and I cant understand why they cannot give some consideration to the ergonomics of it all? Depending on what you are on taking medication

before dental treatment could be dangerous but I am not on any except paracetamol. I cant take

Ibruprofen for stomach reasons.

It surprises me that your hospital treatment did not give more consideration to your posture etc but it sounds like it was in place because of your heart so maybe they were not thinking of your spine at all which is very one track minded. Physios should get together with dentists to design a better chair maybe?

I can only easily get to the nearest dentist as I dont drive- it is walkable and the hospital is on the bus route plus I am lucky to have an NHS place as they are scarce here.

Although I have a diagnosis from ordinary X rays cervical spondylosis, lower spine spondylolisthesis , tilted pelvis, osteophytes, arthritis etc I have never had any collar or hand supports advised and no physio

except 6 weeks once for the 'frozen shoulder'. I do not have any personal income and rely on my husband's income so I would be glad if I could acquire the right things very cheaply. I am waiting to see a

neurologist now - end of October.

There is always the option for sedation. If your own dentist doesn't do it, they can refer you to an NHS hospital which does. I've got C/S and I had 2 extractions under sedation 2 years ago. Didn't feel a thing. Its just a barbiturate that they use....apparently you stay awake, but you don't feel anything and don't remember anything. Re soft collars...you can buy these at most chemists quite cheaply. The size is adjustable. I know what you mean about dental treatment when you've got C/S. The neck just wants to resist any pressure and it just increases the tension. I get this as well. No harm asking about sedation if it might help the treatment.

Hi Yvonne, You sound very like me. I don't drive and my husband works in a shop. I use our terrible bus service all the time. My pennies are few and far between. You can buy collars from most chemist/online for about £8.00. Measure around your neck and the chemist will help you. Also hand supports, you don't need a doc to buy them.

You could ask your gp for a physio referral. You can then have a chat and get some advice that may help you.

As to the dentist, it is hard if you don't have much choice. Most NHS ones have more basic equipment, such as chairs. Very expensive private ones have more up to date and better equipment. I'm not sure what to suggest if you are physically unable to reach the end of the chair arms.I can't actually hold them myself very well as I have little grip and just have my hands in my lap most of the time.

It's good to hear you have a neuro appointment in a few weeks time, I hope you have a positive experience.

Yes it's not always a good idea to take meds before an appointment. My dentist is a medical one and knows what I am taking and we have a good relationship.

If it's any help I crack all the time, it's not dangerous. Sometimes it sounds like I've been shot and people near me jump out of their skin.

I'm sorry that you are having such a rough time and hope things will improve soon, it's a miserable business and the older we get the hader it seems.

Take care of yourself, Fanny Jane.

Hello Yvonne - I have the exact same problem. I bring a neck pillow with me to ALL dental appointments. Dentists do not provide special pillows for patients. I also bring with me two pillows, pur down, that I put along my spine so that my spine is well supported each side. I also advise well in advance that I have a very bad neck problem and that they need to be care - a spondy neck is soon and all too easily injured!

NO dentis has ever looked askance at this. I always make a joke myself, saying the I have brought my bed with me.

I also insisty that I remove my shoes - must be comfortable.

IF they hurt I raise my hand. IF a dentist is hurting 'that' much then go find a different dentist.

A ham-fisted dentist I do not want fiddling around in my mouth, thanks!

As for a collar. Very simple. Go to Boots and ask them to recommend a decent support collar. They will measure you for it. You must have the correct size. And ensure that it does SUPPORT the neck properly. those flabby ones are not much good. You want one that is stiffish, but NOT too stiff. Yes, it is useful

to have a collar to wear when one is having a neck flare, but I have NOT found it any use in the dental chair. But, a good cervical neck pillowis great. Ensure a good one. Otherwise a thin'ish baby pillow filled with PURE DOWN and wrapped under the back of the head and up each side of the ear is as good as a pre-formed neck pillow. Ensure a good neck pillow - there are a lot of rubbish ones on the market - like those ones filled with granules, USELESS. But you must be measured correctly - length AND depth.

My big problem is depth. My neck has about collapsed, lost a lot height, so got to be the 'correct' depth otherwise you will be in agone and unable to wear it/use it.

Hope this has helped.

(I have a vile dental appointment next month. Removal of a very expensive crown with root filling. Yuck. Plus a crumbled molar.)

Sounds like the next best thing to a home visit by the dentist.......we live in hope ! I can see how insisting on these minimal comforts when having treatment would make the dentist more careful not to do anything drastic. Good advice.

Whenever I go to the dentist, I prepare my "Dentist Bag". In it is 4 sweaters (plus a small radio with earphones to ease the drill sounds, and a magazine or book for the wait), I use one sweater to bunch up and put behind my neck. I can adjust it to suit my needs. Another sweater is for me to wear, if I need (sometimes I need it if the air conditioner is on, or I am getting a high dosage of heavy medication. Then, I use one as a blanket on my legs (I seem to be cold when I am in the chair). And the last is to keep in the soft, cloth bag to put under one of my knees to help adjust my back for comfort. This all really helps me to not hurt so much     while sitting in the chair during the actual procedure, plus waiting time (for pain shots/or whatever is used, to start working.