What to expect?!
Question:
What to expect?
Going to the dentist. I haven't been to a dentist in a very long time and I mean a long time.Today I was chewing on a tootsie roll and my tooth broke, so I had to call a dentist. Now I have appointment tomorrow, do you think they will fix the tooth then or would I have to come back for another appointment. It doesn't hurt, kinda more annoying than anything and hard to chew on the other side of my mouth. I know I should go to the dentist on a regular bases but it's just a pain in the ***. And it's not that I don't have insurance cuz I do. Been paying for it for 18 years, just never used it.Now ya know it's been over 18 years since I've been to a dentist.
Answers:
First of all, be aware of the fact that dental insurance is a supplement, not full coverage like medical insurance.
If the dentist has enough room in his/her schedule, getting that tooth fixed may be a possibility. But if you have other teeth that present more decay, those will be a priority. If you can't chew comfortably on the other side of your mouth, you may have a bigger problem than you know.
Because you haven't had regular cleanings, your gums may be sore, irritated, or you may have periodontal disease. This is not a reversible condition. You can stop the loss of gum tissue, but you cannot grow them back.
The assistant will take x-rays, the dentist will diagnose your treatment. The first visit usually involves processing paperwork and finding out exactly what needs to be done. There have been a lot of advances in dentistry in recent years; so don't psych yourself out. You should feel no pain; at the most you may feel some discomfort.
Relax, you'll be fine. I had a patient today who hadn't visited a dentist in 20 years due to a bad experience. Now her dental insurance will only cover 6 teeth out of the 9 that need work. I'm not saying this will happen to you. I am saying that it is much easier to keep regularly scheduled visits so you can avoid having the need for extensive, costly work.