I just went to the dentist for the first time in more than 15 years. I need a LOT of work done!
I have three cavities, and one of my teeth needs to be shortened, because it is making my bite screwy. I need six root canal treatments. I’d like to have a teeth whitening procedure, too, but I don’t know how long all of this is going to take, or whether or not I should try to plan for multiple appointments.
I am really pressed for time, but it is more than that. One of the things that has kept me away from the dentist all these years is that I just HATE to go. I get in that chair and just start sweating and feeling sick. I am afraid if I don’t go and get it all done at once that I won’t go back after the first appointment, and everything will just keep getting worse. It took me a long time to work up the courage to go back. I don’t want to mess everything up by chickening out on the necessary appointments.
Theresa in Big Rapids
Dear Theresa,
Welcome back!
It is a little tricky to answer your question. The most significant limiting factor for sitting length is usually tolerance of the patient, and you’ve said that you get very nervous and tense in “the chair”.
It sounds like you would be a good candidate for sedation dentistry. A sedation dentist will medicate you for the treatment, so you would be able to do a much longer appointment than you would without medication. A non-fearful dental patient might be able to tolerate up to a four hour appointment, but without medication it is not likely you would be able to do anything close to that.
If you do not want to go with a sedation dentist, be very candid with your dentist about your fears and he or she will be able to work with you to figure out how best to get you the treatment you need.
One thing to note: if your root canals are on your front teeth, then a general dentist could probably get them done in one appointment. If they are in your back teeth, however, you’ll need to have them done in as few appointments as possible. If that is the case, you may want to consider a endodontist (a dentist who specializes in root canals) to get your root canals done.
This blog is produced courtesy of Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.