• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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My journey is about to begin

S

Superscared45

Junior member
Joined
Mar 8, 2020
Messages
3
Location
Ny
Well I finally worked up the nerve to make a dental appointment after 10 years of not going. I have to say I’m a nervous wreck I could vomit just thinking about it. My mouth is kind of a mess and I’m really nervous about what’s going to happen. When I was 17 I had a door hit me in the face and it broke my front tooth in half and chipped the corner of the other one. I went to the dentist and he did a root canal on the half broken tooth and then bonded it because he didn’t want to do a full crown because my mouth wasn’t down growing yet . He bonded the corner of the other fron took the as well . I went back a few times over the years and that dentist never completed the root with a post or a crown . I had the bonding onto he teeth replaced twice and then got pregnant 3 times and each pregnancy made my teeth worse . So I became highly self conscious because my front teeth were discolored and chipping away . I became severely afraid to go to the dentist out of embarrassment because surely my teeth were going to be the worst they have ever seen. Fast forward to today my front tooth bonding cracked a few weeks ago and if I bite into something I know it’s going to break so I have been living on soup for 3 weeks praying it didn’t break . I finally decided yesterday that I cannot live like this anymore and decided to make the call . My appointment is in 2 days and I am seriously freaking . I have a few teeth on the top that are broken at the gum line and I’m sure they are going to think I do crack or something? anyway wish me luck - just praying they can do something to fix them as I really don’t want to go the denture route . I just want to SMILE and take pictures with my children again.
 
Dear superscared 45,

It is wonderful you are going ahead, not only treat your oral health but also face your fears. It might seem like a mountain you cannot climb but due to the fact you have not seen a dentist for so long makes this mountain look higher than what it really is.
you also mentioned in your post your source of motivation:smiling with your family. That’s wonderful. Use it actively to cope with the difficulty of facing the dental treatment.
it sounds like my video called “the uncertainty factor” can be helpful.
 
Hi Superscared45,
Welcome to DFC! :grouphug:
You are very brave to post here and make the call to get an appointment. You are definitely not alone here. The first step is typically the hardest and then once you have an idea of what you‘re dealing with, it gets much easier. The first visit will only be a consultation. Think of it as an interview...YOU are interviewing them...you have to decide if this is the right place/people to meet your needs. If they are, that’s fantastic! But if they aren’’t, that’s okay too and you can try again with another place. No pressure! I can assure you that dentists see a lot of people who haven’t been to the dentist in a very long time (or maybe ever and it’s the first time in their life) and whatever is going on with your mouth, you are not the worst they have ever seen...and they won’t judge you...they will be happy that you have come to them for help! There are so many options these days with treatment with crowns, partials, bridges, implants...some people on the forum have wrote about things that I’ve never even heard of before so I wouldn’t resolve yourself to dentures just yet! May I ask why you decided on contacting the specific office that you did? Did they come recommended by someone, or just in a good location, or have an appealing website, or have good patient reviews? Just wondering what influenced your choice.
 
Hi Superscared45,
Welcome to DFC! :grouphug:
You are very brave to post here and make the call to get an appointment. You are definitely not alone here. The first step is typically the hardest and then once you have an idea of what you‘re dealing with, it gets much easier. The first visit will only be a consultation. Think of it as an interview...YOU are interviewing them...you have to decide if this is the right place/people to meet your needs. If they are, that’s fantastic! But if they aren’’t, that’s okay too and you can try again with another place. No pressure! I can assure you that dentists see a lot of people who haven’t been to the dentist in a very long time (or maybe ever and it’s the first time in their life) and whatever is going on with your mouth, you are not the worst they have ever seen...and they won’t judge you...they will be happy that you have come to them for help! There are so many options these days with treatment with crowns, partials, bridges, implants...some people on the forum have wrote about things that I’ve never even heard of before so I wouldn’t resolve yourself to dentures just yet! May I ask why you decided on contacting the specific office that you did? Did they come recommended by someone, or just in a good location, or have an appealing website, or have good patient reviews? Just wondering what influenced your choice.

Thank you ! I I am super nervous I hardly slept last night. I’m trying to remind myself that this is a positive thing . My mom actually prompted me to contact this dentist because she actually had an appointment this morning and this was her first time back at the dentist in probably just as long as myself - she has a severe phobia as well . I know I had to do something and since she was going I called and made the appt. she said they were really kind and non judge mental and the hygienist did most of the work and planned out her assessment she had a cleaning today and they took an impression for a bridge she is going to need. She said they were fantastic with her and she felt at ease. She made me feel good about my decision. She is going to go with me tomorrow because I just want someone with me for this initial visit. I’m not scared of procedures per say I’m more concerned with the first look at my mouth ? I can handle everything else. I will update tomorrow after my appointment. Thank you so much for reaching out ?
 
That’s so great that you and your mom are able to go on this journey together and that your mom has already scoped the place out and deemed it safe! It sounds like you are in very good hands! I look forward to reading how you get on! Please keep us posted!
 
Superscared45

:grouphug: What a huge step you have made in making this after going through so much on your dental journey! Im with @kitkat and think it sounds like a good place, very promising they will treat you well! and great that your mom is so supportive! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow as you go to this appt. and hope you are met with kind hearts and hands!! and listening ears!! Let us know how it goes..
 
Update I had my appt at 4:00 and I have to say it went fantastic!! The moment I walked through the door I knew I chose the right place. Everyone in that office was super nice and very caring . The hygienist that saw me was super nice and friendly and understood life happens . She did xrays and the dentist came in and looked things over and he was FANTASTIC!!’ It turns out my mout is not as bad as I thought ! I need 2 front crowns and a couple of fillings and that is all happening tomorrow ? then I need one root canal and they are going to make me a bridge for the missing teeth and that is it !!! He said my gums and teeth were in great condition... I am so glad I went because after tomorrow I will finally have my SMILE back !!! I haven’t felt this great in a long time ... I just want to thank everyone for their encouragement and kind words !!! It has been a great day !!!
 
So happy to hear things were not as bad as you thought and that the office was so welcoming! Congrats on facing your fears! You will be smiling again very soon! :)
 
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