Afraid of the Dentist

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#1 Post by **badteeth** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:22 pm

Hello, I'm new here, I have very bad teeth but not enough courage to wear braces, I think Iâ€™m too old for that and Iâ€™m wondering what to do. I haven't gone to the dentist for about 10 years and I think I have a lot of cavities.

#2 Post by **hollywood_smile** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:49 pm

heya!!!!

welcome!! first of all i think you should visit the dentist because of the cavities, healthy mouth is healthy life

and you are never old to watch out for your mouth if you ar inconfortable with your teeth then get them fix, if you dont have the courage then, perhaps they dont bother u that much

#3 Post by **badteeth** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:02 pm

Hello hollywood_smile, what a nice smile you have. My teeth bother me, I will visit a dentist this week because of the cavities, but I donâ€™t know if to use braces or false teeth, Iâ€™m a 50 years old widower, looking for a girlfriend and Iâ€™m not sure if Iâ€™ll be able to find a lady who likes a man of my age with the mouth full of metal. Iâ€™m worried about it and I donâ€™t have time to lose. In the other hand orthodontic may be less painful that having the extractions for the false teeth.

#4 Post by **dbagnell** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:07 pm

Wow, I could have written this post. I'm really scared of the dentist and put off going for years. Finally, I made an appointment. I chose a different dentist than my partner and my kids because I thought I'd be embarrassed about my teeth so I didn't want a dentist I knew, and also I didn't want to have to drive by my dentist's office on a regular basis so I chose one in a neighborhood that I don't frequent often.

As a new patient I had to fill out the questionairre. I wrote that I was afraid of the dentist. It was a huge step for me. My dentist saw that and was AMAZING! She took her time with me, walked me through everything she was doing, and constantly asked me if I was okay. She had me raise my hand when I wanted to stop.

She filled my cavities in four appointments - one for each quadrant of my mouth. Once my last appointment was booked I called the ortho to make an appointment. Honestly, I never looked back. I'm SO glad I did it. I encourage you to take the plunge.

#5 Post by **Betty Bat** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:10 pm

Howdy,
I'm also a dental phobic who didn't go to a dentist for about 10 years because of my fear of needles. When I did go, I was very pleasantly surprised. First of all, even though I thought I would have new cavities, I didn't and you will probably find the same thing. We can thank fluoride in the water and better toothpastes for that. Second, the dentist's methods have changed a lot and are much easier to take. Does your dentist handle the "dental phobics"? There are relaxation techniques (music, deep breating, ...) and distractions (videos, ...) that are used now and I think they really help.

I'm 53, so there are some of us Baby Boomers around here. I'll second the advice that the first step is to go to a dentist and then to an orthodontist to find out what can and should be done.

Good luck!

#6 Post by **walks** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:12 pm

BT -

I also avoided the dentist (a lot longer than 10 years) but finally decided that I had to get my mouth healthy because of the bad effect an unhealthy mouth can have on your overall health. I had a lot of cavities and some gum disease thrown in for good measure. I did sedation denistry to take care of the cavities (in one day)and a couple of visits to get the gums healthy. I am so glad I did this. I now have braces to fix my bite (which I debated about doing because I'm 53). I am also glad I got the braces.

Even if you don't want to do the brace thing, go to the dentist and get your mouth healthy. You won't regret it.

#7 Post by **badteeth** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:20 pm

Well, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who avoids dentists and all those strange tolls they use.
Iâ€™ll do the same, I made an appointment with a new ortho I donâ€™t know. Letâ€™s see if he makes me fell better, but Iâ€™m sure of the nightmares Iâ€™ll have before Friday when Iâ€™ll finally seat on the dentistâ€™s chair. According to my experience Iâ€™ll decide what to do next. Iâ€™m not sure if Iâ€™ll have the money for braces, they are very expensive.

#8 Post by **lionfish** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:31 pm

Another babyboomer here.

I had a rotten dentist as a kid and managed to avoid going for a few years. The drill was my worst nightmare. And back then, in the 1960's, it was pretty hellish.

Modern dentistry has come a long way since then. I've got a good dentist now and I'm completely unafraid of getting regular six month checks.

Badteeth, try saving your teeth before going for dentures. They aren't the same, mate. They can be hard to fit and therefore it can be hard to chew properly. My mother in law suffers terribly from ill fitting dentures and to see her eat is painful.

Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:28 pm

It takes alot of courage to finally take the first step. (I know from experience) It definetly is life changing, for the better that is. If you decide to get braces try calling 1-800-4braces they have orthodontists that take monthly payments and no money down....thats what I am doing...good luck to you!

#10 Post by **New2Braces** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:29 pm

I avoided the dentist for about 10 years too!
Last time I went I had a tooth taken out with no warning whatsoever!
I think it scared me for life!!

But I had been doing a lot of thinking (and soul searching) lately and decided what the heck...it was only a dentist...nothing to be scared of.
I'm soooo glad I made that step in making the appointment for a checkup!
If I hadn't, maybe my teeth would have gotten worse
Least this way, I'm heading towards a set of healthier looking teeth

#11 Post by **mackenzie** » Mon May 01, 2006 3:24 am

About the dates thing, I think women would rather have a man with braces who will have his own perfect teeth than a man with fake teeth.

#12 Post by **fins** » Mon May 01, 2006 4:25 am

I've been going to the dentist all my life and it is never easy for me. I am just afraid of dentists. Every time I go to the ortho I am nervous. I'm always praying they don't find a cavity when it's time to get my teeth cleaned and I breathe a sigh of relief when I finally get out of the dental office. It's something that I don't think will ever change for me but I manage to live with it AND get braced a second time

Women like straight teeth so getting braced would not be a negative. The time goes quickly (truly it does, although we all wish it would go faster). Now with ceramics, you can get a different look from the "all metal".

#13 Post by **momof2grlz** » Mon May 01, 2006 7:33 am

Here's another (former) dental phobic checking in. My advice is to find a dentist and an ortho who understand your fear and will gently and slowly work with you to overcome it. It can be done. I don't even get butterflies when I have to go to the dentist anymore.

As far as the age thing goes. I think most women would rather see a man correcting his dental problems for a couple of years instead of dropping his teeth in a glass every night for the rest of his life.

Good luck with your journey. Just take it a step at a time and find docs you can trust and feel comfortable with.

Chris

#14 Post by **Pirate Wench** » Mon May 01, 2006 7:50 am

I am really afraid of needles.....I usually faint if I have blood taken for anything.....anyway, I have always managed to go to the dentist for a yearly checkup.

My dentist has been trying to get me to the ortho for a few years now. I have 100% overbite and TMJ which causes me alot of migraines. I have been avoiding it because I knew the ortho would want to put on braces. I have never wanted braces because I was afraid of being in pain from them.

I finally bit the bullet and decided to go for a consult with my ortho. Now I am glad I did. I will have to get braces (uppers on June 15th), but after researching and talking/reading this forum I feel like I made the right decision.

I don't think it matters how old you are. If you have the courage to start the process....all the power to you!

Welcome to the club....good luck with your decision....keep us posted.

#15 Post by **CLAmom** » Mon May 01, 2006 11:02 am

Me, too--huge phobia of dentists. When I was 11 or 12 I had 4 molars pulled and I hate to go to the dentist to this day. I haven't seen a dentist now for about 5 years but it's not quite as scary as it once was. I have an appointment this summer. I was also afraid of going to the orthodontist because I was convinced I would need surgery to correct my bite. I'm glad I went and got more information. It's amazing what a person puts off in their lives because of the fear. It's good to move forward, isn't it? By the way, I'm 46 and in braces for the first time.