Hello,

I am coward when it comes to going to the dentist! I am 50 years old now and have always avoided going to the dentist because I was freaked out by an experience as a kid. Unfortunately, this means most of my teeth are either missing or in really bad shape. I think I need dentures and I was wondering if I need to see a dentist first or an oral surgeon to have my remaining teeth removed?

This dental fear is really embarrassing and so is the way I feel in public. Any advice would be helpful.

– Sam in Michigan

Sam,

There are dentists out there that can take care of everything, including the tooth extractions, the oral surgery, and the dentures. Call around and inquire how a dentist handles dentures. Some dentists will refer you out to an oral surgeon, but many times a general dentist can take care of the surgery as well. And if the dentist does the surgery in-house, then they will be very experienced in doing dentures.

In regard to the dental fear issue, you are not alone. Millions of people deal with anxiety when it’s time to visit the dentist. When you are calling around, ask the dentist if they offer sleep dentistry or sedation dentistry. This process simply involves taking a pill before your appointment and you won’t feel or remember a thing. It is an excellent treatment for those that fear the dentist.

An asset of selecting a dentist that can do both the surgery and application of the dentures is that it simplifies the entire process. You may elect to have an immediate denture placed if you don’t want to wait for several weeks will the permanent appliance is being made. Whatever you decide, the first step is to visit the general dentist first. Because even if they don’t do the surgery, they will handle all of the arrangements, etc.

Good luck.

This post is sponsored by Plano dentist Whitmore DDS.

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