I am so tired of being ashamed of my smile. At the same time, I am terrified of the dentist. Absolutely terrified. I get a panic attack every time I’ve tried to go. Have you encountered someone who struggles as much as I do? What would it take to get my smile pretty? My teeth are yellow, two of them are chipped, and the front two are crooked. I’m sure there are cavities too, but I don’t see any.
Kallie
Dear Kallie,
How would you like to never fear the dentist again?
You are not alone in your dental anxiety. Many Americans struggle with going to the dentist. Often, this stems from a traumatic experience during childhood with their pediatric dentist. While we can’t do anything about the past, we can help you with your future. There are dentists who are particularly good at working with fearful patients. In your place, I would look for a dentist who advertises as a sedation dentist. They are great with fearful patients. To make things even easier for you, they can provide medication that will completely relax you. Given your level of anxiety, I am going to recommend you see someone who offers oral conscious sedation. It’s administered by a pill. This pill is so strong, though, that you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your appointment until you are lucid and steady on your feet again. Most people sleep through their entire appointment.
Another benefit to dental sedation is it enables you and the dentist to get more work done at each sitting. That will help you get the smile you want even faster. One you can be proud to share. As to the work you need, you have several choices. Before those, your first order of business is to make sure you don’t have any decay and if you do, deal with that first. Once that is established, the first thing I recommend is teeth whitening. Not only will that make a dramatic difference in your smile, but it is a precursor to most other work. The easiest and most dramatic fix will be porcelain veneers. You have other options as well, but this is the top-of-the-line smile makeover and what gives celebrities that Hollywood smile.
One important thing to be aware of. While you can go to any sedation dentist to get your oral health on track, cosmetic dentistry is different. It requires extensive post-doctoral training. Don’t be fooled into thinking dental school is enough. In your place, I would look for a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. Your smile will be stunning.
This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
