I’ve been avoiding the dentist for years, which has of course resulted in needing a lot of dental work. Part of it was finances, which have improved. Part of it was I’m not a fan of the dentist. It’s time for me to suck it up and get things done. My guess is I’m needing a minimum of five fillings and a couple of root canals maybe even a tooth pulled at this point. What is the best way for me to get as much done in each sitting as possible? And I’d like to get my teeth whitened. Would that need to be done with a specialist?
Rod
Dear Rod,
Because dentists vary in the amount of work they are willing to do in one sitting, you would have to ask around. I will tell you that the dentist willing to do the most amount of work in one sitting are sedation dentists. That is because the patient is more comfortable, so it is easier for the dentist to just get to work. The type of sedation that you choose, makes a difference. For example, if you chose oral conscious sedation, you could even sleep through the entire appointment.
If you don’t want to use a sedation dentist, then it will be more a matter of how much work you can tolerate in each sitting. It’s harder for you than the dentist. If you’re all in, some dentists would be willing to go four hours, but that would be pretty tough on you without sedation.
Of the things you mentioned, the root canals will be the most time consuming. If they’re on front teeth, then a general dentist could do several of them in one sitting. However, if they are molars, then you are better off seeing an endodontist, which is a root canal specialist. They can do molars much faster than your average general dentist.
As for the teeth whitening, pretty much any dentist who offers that procedure can do it. It’s not considered an advanced cosmetic treatment. If you were asking for something like porcelain veneers, then it would be very important that you had it done by an expert cosmetic dentist. In fact, I would suggest an AACD accredited cosmetic dentist because they are the best cosmetic dentists in the country. But for teeth whitening, any dentist will do just fine.
One caveat, make sure you have your teeth whitening done before you have any crowns placed on teeth which are visible when you are smile. This is because the crowns can’t be whitened once they’re finished, so you want to make sure that they match the color you’re looking to keep permanently.
It is awesome that you are trying to get your health under control. You’re going to find it life-changing. Many patients don’t realize that their dental health actually affects their general health. Once they have their teeth back in order they discover their body feels better in general.
This blog is brought to you by a top-rated dentist in Hilton head, Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
