L
Lucy's mum
Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Messages
- 25
I don't know if anyone remembers me talking about my daughter Lucy over the years?
Long standing severe dental phobia since young childhood, couldn't get to the bottom of it. She could never verbalise her fears and would clam up. We went to countless places for help over the years including various different dentists, dental hospitals, therapists, hypnotherapists, you name it, we had been there. So upsetting and frustrating as a mother to see my daughter suffering and not being able to help her.
Finally last year she was referred to Guy's Hospital in London where she had a dental check up and clean under sedation. This was her first time in a dentist's chair in a decade! Amazingly her teeth were healthy thank goodness. Guy's then referred her to their psychotherapy department but we got stuck again as she found talking extremely difficult. We left things for a while, at least knowing she'd had a check up. But in spite of her teeth being healthy, I knew she was upset about their appearance and was frustrated that she couldn't face orthodontics.
Then - a chance chat with her dance teacher a few weeks ago led to Lucy coming home in tears. Apparently this teacher, not knowing about the phobia, had been talking to Lucy about performance in dance, smiling, using your face. Lucy got very upset but couldn't talk about it either to her teacher or to me. I phoned the dance teacher and it all fell into place and the teacher told me about having her teeth straightened herself with aligners rather than fixed braces which are far less invasive.
I did my research and took Lucy to two separate clinics in London for a consultation. The first one wasn't successful and Lucy didn't feel comfortable. But we had huge success at the second place. Lucy had a video consultation with the dentist beforehand and on the day they booked her in at the end so she wouldn't be rushed. I was allowed to go in with her, even with Covid restrictions, which helped. The dentist was absolutely fantastic - no questions, no pressure, all the time she needed. At that first appointment Lucy managed to have not only photographs and x-rays but also the scan of her teeth using a wand in her mouth, sitting in the chair with no sedation. I was amazed!
She then had to go back this week for a hygienist appointment and after discussing the various sedation options they recommended she should try with just diazepam. This worked brilliantly, Lucy had a full hygienist appointment and she even said afterwards it wasn't as bad as she had thought!
She is having aligners but having done the scan the worst part is over. I am over the moon for her.
I would say to anyone else - give it time. Even if you think you will never conquer your fear, when the time and place are both right, you will.
Long standing severe dental phobia since young childhood, couldn't get to the bottom of it. She could never verbalise her fears and would clam up. We went to countless places for help over the years including various different dentists, dental hospitals, therapists, hypnotherapists, you name it, we had been there. So upsetting and frustrating as a mother to see my daughter suffering and not being able to help her.
Finally last year she was referred to Guy's Hospital in London where she had a dental check up and clean under sedation. This was her first time in a dentist's chair in a decade! Amazingly her teeth were healthy thank goodness. Guy's then referred her to their psychotherapy department but we got stuck again as she found talking extremely difficult. We left things for a while, at least knowing she'd had a check up. But in spite of her teeth being healthy, I knew she was upset about their appearance and was frustrated that she couldn't face orthodontics.
Then - a chance chat with her dance teacher a few weeks ago led to Lucy coming home in tears. Apparently this teacher, not knowing about the phobia, had been talking to Lucy about performance in dance, smiling, using your face. Lucy got very upset but couldn't talk about it either to her teacher or to me. I phoned the dance teacher and it all fell into place and the teacher told me about having her teeth straightened herself with aligners rather than fixed braces which are far less invasive.
I did my research and took Lucy to two separate clinics in London for a consultation. The first one wasn't successful and Lucy didn't feel comfortable. But we had huge success at the second place. Lucy had a video consultation with the dentist beforehand and on the day they booked her in at the end so she wouldn't be rushed. I was allowed to go in with her, even with Covid restrictions, which helped. The dentist was absolutely fantastic - no questions, no pressure, all the time she needed. At that first appointment Lucy managed to have not only photographs and x-rays but also the scan of her teeth using a wand in her mouth, sitting in the chair with no sedation. I was amazed!
She then had to go back this week for a hygienist appointment and after discussing the various sedation options they recommended she should try with just diazepam. This worked brilliantly, Lucy had a full hygienist appointment and she even said afterwards it wasn't as bad as she had thought!
She is having aligners but having done the scan the worst part is over. I am over the moon for her.
I would say to anyone else - give it time. Even if you think you will never conquer your fear, when the time and place are both right, you will.