I remember that in my early teen years I had a wisdom tooth pulled and had excruciating pain...... I guess it was the days before "painless" dentistry. I swore I'd never go back to a dentist... Fast forward 50 years, and most of my teeth were beyond repair, broken and/or missing. After having my strokes in 2000 I finally overcame my fears and went to a dentist who was a family friend. It was embarrassing to tell him my story, but he totally understood and began work on my mouth. He shot me with so much Novocain that I felt absolutely nothing, and he pulled whatever teeth and pieces of teeth that were left in my mouth, then fitted me for dentures. Now I can eat and chew anything and everything I want. I should have done it years ago.