I spent most of my life being terrified of needles for dental work. I KNEW the pain that occurred when I wasn't numbed, so it was a case of the familiar beating out common sense and intelligence. I finally got over my fear of sharp objects in my mouth when, in my late 30s, I had to get a filling slighty smaller than a tooth. A few years after that, I had to have a root canal/crown due to a badly cracked tooth. I'd heard my mother talk about root canals, I'd hear my friends talk about them in a "yeah, it's like having red hot pokers jammed into your brain and twisted ar0und" sort of way. I was terrified! Then I get to the endodotist. He brandishes the shiny metal alien face probe, and I while also concentrating on not having an outburst from either my vocal cords or my bladder, gasp out (in between whimpers), "But you haven't given me the topical anesthetic yet!" Then came those words that will forever echo in my mind's ear...

"We don't need no steenkin' topical!" Actually, I think he just said he never found a need to use it. I could think of a need at the moment, but he wasn't going to cave. He pinched my cheek in a way that hurt way less than an enormous number of things and moved around a bit. I figured out he was looking around for a good spot to jam that baby home, until I started feeling numb. Sneaky bastard.

Now came the really scary part, the Root Canal. Then after a while, it was over. Big freakin' deal. I was sent back to my dentist from my 'dontist and recieved a temporary crown and went home. I tried to get some take home drugs but all I got was acetaminophen - bah!

Anyway, the worst thing about the whole experience, other than a somewhat sore jaw from having my mouth open that wide for that long, was the fear I'd wasted so much energy on.

In any case, I hope you have success. Most dentists I've met want peopple to STOP hurting, and any pain they cause is usually fleeting compared to the pain we'd have without their intervention.