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I didn’t go to the dentist for 12 years..

M

Mlong87

Junior member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
1
I have always struggled with dental anxiety, and have always been anxious in general. When I was growing up I had bad experiences at our family dentist and when I turned 18 I no longer had dental insurance. I was supposed to get braces, but around the time I had my consultation (11 yrs) my mother passed away. Soon after that my dad and stepmom divorced, and then my dad had cancer. Needless to say, life got in the way of my dental dreams. After I lost my father’s coverage (he eventually recovered from the cancer, btw) at 18, I didn’t get my own coverage until 23. By this time it had been 5 years since I had been to the dentist. I had severe anxiety and feared being judged for this, so I just didn’t go. Because of this, I had insurance that I didn’t use for 7 more years.

I am 30 years old now. I just went to the dentist in May 2017 for the first time in 12 years. I was afraid about being honest with others about how long it had actually been, but I found that when I was honest about it, I learned that a lot of people are in the same boat.

When I went for my check up no one judged me. They were gentle and they asked questions and gave me advice. I had 8 cavities, needed scaling and root planing, had a possible cyst or tumor in my gums (it turned out to be a pocket where a tooth should have formed, but I never grew the adult tooth there), and I needed an ortho consultation. I went to the oral surgeon and paid $400 for a 360 degree X-ray that would show them what was up with the black circle in my gums. It turned out to be nothing. I did my SRP with some lasering of my gums. That was the worst part of all my treatment. I found that as I went in for these treatments that I am very sensitive to the epinephrine in the numbing injections, but my dentist prescribes halcion for me when I need to be numbed and now it is not a problem at all. The oral surgeon and orthodontist decided that I should have my upper canines extracted because they were up so high and my teeth were very crowded. It is uncommon to have them pulled, but it was decided to be the best route for my treatment.

Let’s fast forward, I completed (including extractions) my treatment in the beginning of October. I just started Invisalign treatment. I do have gemination (two teeth fused into one and have only 1 root) of a tooth in the front lower part of my mouth and a congenitally missing tooth on my lower right back side.. so I will need at least 1 implant when we are done. I may also need a gum graft where my canines were pulled.

But the most amazing part of all of this is that not one time did anyone on any of these amazing treatment teams judge me or make me feel bad about myself. I just want you to know that if you struggle with dental anxiety you are not alone. But please please please go to the dentist before you develop gum disease that cannot be reversed.

If any of you have any questions about how I handled my anxiety or my treatment, please ask!
 
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