Tips for Dealing with Dental Anxiety

Do you feel anxious at the thought of going to the dentist? If so, you’re definitely not alone. According to a survey published in the Journal of Conservative Dentistry, up to 80% of patients experience anxiety when going to the dentist. Nearly 25 percent of Americans are so fearful that they avoid their dental check-ups altogether unless they’re experiencing pain.

At the Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Broome and his staff are dedicated to reducing dental anxiety. With complimentary paraffin hand treatments, noise-canceling BOSE headphones, massage chairs, individually-controlled televisions, in addition to dental sedation, the Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry was designed to offer a dental experience like no other. Contact us today to learn more about the practice of choice for dental patients around the world.

The Costs of Dental Anxiety

Some people avoid a dentist visit because they’re afraid of the potential pain that might be involved while others may have had a nerve-wracking experience at the dentist when they were younger. Some people may even be afraid due to stories they have heard from family and friends. While the reasons may differ, the effect can be the same, as thousands of individuals avoid the dentist’s chair.

Unfortunately, the longer people allow dental anxiety to delay their annual visit to the dentist, the greater the risk of costly and potentially dangerous problems to fix in the future. For example, plaque, a sticky, colorless film of bacteria, can build up on the teeth, leading to tooth decay, gum recession, and gum disease.

If left untreated, the decay can reach the roots of the teeth, which may require a root canal and crown. With advanced gum disease, the bacteria can actually destroy the jaw bone supporting your teeth, potentially leading to loose teeth and tooth loss. Additionally, current research points towards a connection between gum disease and other health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and strokes.

How to Deal with Dental Anxiety

There are several positive ways to deal with dental anxiety in order to help you get the dental care you need to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.

1. Choose Wisely: When you have dental anxiety, it’s important to find a dentist who will listen to your concerns and help create a successful strategy for easing your fear during your treatment. For some patients, they feel better when the dentist explains what is happening at every step of the process while other patients will feel calmer with a dental office that has a soothing atmosphere. Be upfront with your dentist about your concerns and discuss a possible game plan. This will ensure you’ve chosen the right dental professional for you.
2. Communicate: When you feel anxious, don’t suffer in silence. Communicate your fears and needs so your dentist can discuss all available options to help improve your comfort, including oral or IV sedation.
3. Connect to Music: Closing your eyes and concentrating on your favorite songs can help make your dental treatment go by more comfortably. At Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, we offer BOSE noise-canceling headphones that you can connect to your iPhone, Android, or to our over-the-chair LED TV’s, making it easy to connect to music that soothes you.
4. Bring a friend: Another effective strategy for dealing with dental anxiety is to reach out to a friend who could sit in the waiting room with you and help you stay calm and relaxed.
5. Consider sedation dentistry: Sedation dentistry is a safe, effective solution for many people who suffer from dental anxiety. From oral sedation to IV sedation, these options can help patients that want to relax during their treatment but struggle with serious phobia and anxiety. In North Carolina, the use of oral sedation is restricted to dentists who have an IV certification. Due to increased patient request for IV sedation, Dr. Broome underwent the best training available in North America to become IV-certified. As a result, our office can offer multi-dose oral sedation as well as IV sedation options to our patients.

It’s possible to overcome your dentist phobia. The most powerful way is to experience a dental treatment that feels calm and safe. The more positive appointments you experience, the less hold anxiety will have over you. The first step is to find a dentist to be your partner in good oral health. Read more about sedation dentistry at WebMD.com.

Contact the Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry

If you are interested in learning more about the effective techniques that Dr. Broome and his team employ to help patients overcome dental anxiety, contact Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry and mention it during your consultation. You can also call our office for more information about successful solutions like sedation dentistry.

Next, read Porcelain Veneers: The Perfect Solution for 5 Major Dental Concerns

The post Tips for Dealing with Dental Anxiety appeared first on Destination Smile.

Porcelain Veneers: The Perfect Solution for 5 Major Dental Concerns

A smile is hugely important for our personalities, self-confidence, relationships, and success. We live in a world where an attractive smile plays a vital role in all areas of our lives. A recent study showed that two-thirds of the people surveyed were unhappy with their smiles. If you’re troubled by chips, cracks or stains on your teeth, you’re not alone. It’s possible to have straighter, brighter teeth without having to go through a long orthodontic process thanks to porcelain veneers at Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry.

Porcelain veneers are the perfect solution for a variety of common teeth problems and can be used to correct aesthetic issues alone or in combination with other cosmetic or restorative dentistry procedures. A whiter, brighter, beautifully-designed smile with veneers is the perfect choice to transform discolored, chipped, or misaligned teeth. Thanks to their natural-looking appearance and wide array of functions, veneers rank among the most trusted and popular cosmetic dentistry procedures.

What are Porcelain Veneers?

Porcelain veneers (also called dental laminates) are wafer-thin shells of porcelain that can be customized to treat and cosmetically enhance your smile. Porcelain veneers are permanently bonded to the teeth, concealing tooth imperfections and creating beautiful teeth that look and feel natural.

What are the Benefits of Dental Porcelain Laminates?

Dental laminates can change the color, size, shape, and length of your teeth. When used as a chipped tooth treatment, porcelain veneers can be used to strengthen cracked or damaged teeth and restore their appearance. As a relatively conservative dental procedure, placing dental laminates requires minimal tooth surface removal. The porcelain is also highly resistant to staining, so unlike natural teeth, veneers can maintain their color even if you drink coffee, tea, and red wine.

Not only do porcelain laminates look natural, but they can last between 10 and 20 years with proper oral hygiene and regular visits to your dentist. Best of all, laminates are custom-made for each individual, allowing Dr. Broome to create a specialized smile makeover for each and every patient!

What Issues Can Dental Laminates Help Correct?

Most people who are looking to improve the quality of their smile are candidates for veneers. Generally, candidates for dental laminates will have good enamel but need help to improve the following dental concerns:

Stained teeth: Sometimes yellow or discolored teeth do not respond well to teeth whitening treatments. Laminate veneers are the perfect choice to cover stained or discolored teeth.

Short teeth and/or a gummy smile: People with small teeth have two issues to address: the size of their teeth and whether they show a lot of gum when smiling. For these patients, dental ceramic veneers and/or a gum lift can lengthen the appearance of the teeth and help reshape the gum-line.

Damaged, chipped, or misshapen teeth: Damaged, chipped, and misshapen teeth can easily be addressed with veneers. Porcelain veneers provide durable, long-lasting, and aesthetically-pleasing results. Porcelain veneers can be custom-made to correct tooth imperfections and rebuild the strength and durability of the tooth. Not only do veneers look natural, but they blend beautifully with the surrounding teeth and, as already mentioned, are resistant to staining or discoloration.

Crooked teeth: Veneers are an excellent option for correcting alignment issues without spending years at the dentist. Porcelain laminates may be especially attractive to those whose crooked teeth have regressed after previous orthodontic treatment.

Gaps Between Teeth: Laminate veneers can be used to close any gaps between teeth without the need for drilling or grinding down healthy tooth structures. Veneers will not only close the gaps between teeth, but create a natural-looking smile as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will my veneers look like my normal teeth?
A: Yes! Each veneer is custom-made to fit the shape of your teeth and is color-corrected to match your smile.

Q: How long will my veneers last?
A: Porcelain laminates are extremely durable! They can last between 10 and 20 years with proper dental care, which includes daily brushing, flossing, and regular visits to Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry.

Q: Do porcelain veneers hurt or cause discomfort?
A: No, the veneer procedure is not painful. Usually, teeth require little to no preparation and the procedure at our Charlotte office can be completed without anesthetic.

Read more about dental veneer treatments at WebMD.com.

Schedule a Smile Makeover Consultation in Charlotte Today

Your smile makeover is just a consultation away! Contact Dr. Broome today to schedule your consultation. Whether you are interested in a smile makeover or another dental procedure, contact the dental experts at Charlotte Center for Cosmetic Dentistry for the most comfortable dental experience possible.

Next, read 5 Quick Tips for Improving Your Dental Routine

The post Porcelain Veneers: The Perfect Solution for 5 Major Dental Concerns appeared first on Destination Smile.