I had a dental filling which fell out. I was foolish and didn’t go back to the dentist because my last appointment was a bad experience. I know I should have because eventually the tooth developed an infection and I was in tremendous pain. In fact, it was so unbearable I went to see another dentist. This dentist did a root canal treatment, but we never scheduled a follow-up appointment. Because of that it eventually developed more decay. Now, I’ve got a dentist telling me it needs to be extracted. He suggested the extraction would be complicated enough that I might consider an oral surgeon. I did some number crunching and the oral surgeon would be a lot more expensive. Am I putting myself in danger by going with the less expensive option?
Amanda
Dear Amanda,
I feel it was unfair of your dentist to phrase it this way. It makes you feel like going the affordable route is dangerous. It’s possible he feels this procedure is above his current skill level and that is why he’s recommending an oral surgeon. If that is the case, I definitely wouldn’t have your dentist do it. He could get into a situation during the procedure where he doesn’t know what to do.
Before making a decision, I’d ask some more questions. Has he done this type of extraction before? What is his comfort level in performing the procedure himself? Does he offer dental sedation?
If it turns out he’s experienced and comfortable with the extraction and he offers sedation options, you’re fine to go ahead having the extraction done at his office. Based on how he framed it, however, I don’t think that is going to end up being the case. You will either need to see an oral surgeon or use a different dentist who had more experience in this particular procedure.
How Using Dental Sedation Can Change Your Life
When you have dental anxiety, it often has a negative impact on your oral health. You’ve already experienced this so you understand, I’m just saying it for the benefit of others. However, knowing that doesn’t take away your anxiety. I do have something that actually could help, though.
Going to a dentist who offers sedation doesn’t have to be reserved for the most difficult of cases. It can be done for any procedure you’d like. Though, if you’re just getting a cleaning, I wouldn’t go for the “big guns”, like oral conscious sedation or I.V. Sedation. You’ll be fine with just nitrous for that.
If you’re having specific work done, such as dental fillings or a dental crown, you could then upgrade to something like oral conscious sedation. You’ll also find you can get more work done during each appointment, allowing you to catch up much more quickly on the work you’ve been needing. Before you know it, you’re all caught up and no longer even need sedation.
This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
