I have avoided the dentist for the majority of my life because of one bad experience. Now most of my teeth are either missing or decayed and broken. I need to get dentures. Do I see an oral surgeon to have the rest of my teeth removed before seeing the dentist for dentures or the other way around?

Ken

Dear Ken,

I’m sorry for your bad experience. You are not alone in this being an issue. For many patients with dental anxiety, the whole thing started when they were young. This is one of the many reasons finding a good pediatric dentist is so important. A positive (or negative) start to dental care impacts the rest of their lives.

In your case, when it comes to dentures, I would see a dentist who does both the extractions and the dentures. Don’t “talk a dentist into that”. Instead, call the office and ask what they normally do. If they refer you to an oral surgeon, see a different dentist. The extraction surgery isn’t a complicated one and any dentist should be able to do it. However, make sure they are used to doing it.

I always think it is important to save as many teeth as possible. Because of this, I’m going to suggest you get a Cu-Sil Partial denture (PICTURED ABOVE) if you have any saveable teeth. If not, then you can just get the traditional dentures.

Dealing with Dental Anxiety

As I mentioned earlier, you are not alone in your dental anxiety. That anxiety won’t go away when you go in for your extractions. Because of that, I want you to be aware of dental sedation. This will enable you to have your procedure done in a relaxed, anxiety-free way.

Many patients who try dental sedation find this is what changes their perception of dental care, enabling them to get the regular care they need to keep a healthy smile.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentist Drs. Drake and Wallace.