Overcoming the Fear of Dental Work

Fear of visiting the dentist is quite common, however, it can be overcome when you know what to expect once you arrive. Everyone feels differently about a dentist visit, and some have even avoided visiting the dentist because of fear. Some people may have even had past traumatic experiences during dental work, which increases their fear. Preparing for the dental appointment will include knowing the facts and procedure steps that will be taken. The fear will subside when you know exactly what will occur while you are there. Many dentist offices will offer headphones for the patient if the drilling sounds scare you. You can check with the office when you arrive for your appointment. Some of the common procedures are listed here for alleviating fears and gaining precise knowledge before your appointment begins.

X-rays

The first thing that will happen during the dental appointment is a visual inspection of your mouth, teeth, and gums by the dentist. The dental hygienists may be the ones doing this initial part, depending upon the dentist. The inspection will show some of the possible problems, but x-rays will be necessary for other issues like impacted wisdom teeth and bone loss from periodontal disease (gum disease).  In addition, the small decay in between teeth isn’t visible without taking x-rays. The dental hygienists will place a plastic device between your molars and ask you to bite down to hold it in place for the x-rays. This procedure is painless, so there should be no fear involved with the x-ray and visual inspection portion of the appointment.

Anesthetic

When there is a problem that requires dental work like root canals, dental extractions, crowns or fillings, the area will be numbed with local anesthesia. The anesthetic is injected into the gums around the area where the dental work will be performed, so that the patient will not feel any pain during the procedure. Some dentists offer nitrous oxide for calming patient anxiety before the anesthesia is injected. A slight discomfort may occur upon insertion of the anesthesia needle, but will quickly subside as the numbing takes effect. Within about ten minutes or so, you should be numb in the area where the dentist will be working.

Drilling and Filling

If your dentist finds cavities, you will need to get a filling in order to get rid of tooth ache pain and prevent further dental work. The decay needs to be removed with a drill or other tool before the filling material is applied. This is normally the area that most patients fear the most. However, the fear is unnecessary after the numbing has taken affect. The patient may feel a slight amount of pressure, but there’s no reason to be overly concerned about pain. As stated earlier, if the drilling sounds scare you, ask if they have headphones available to calm your fears. After the dentist rids the tooth of the decay, a porcelain or resin material will be packed into the hollow tooth for restoring the tooth structure. Polishing the tooth will complete the procedure and you will leave the office with a repaired tooth and a smile on your face.