Dentists are evil

I have a question for you. Why can’t dentists do an appointment without torturing their patients? I have gotten to the point where I don’t want to go anymore.

Elizabeth B. – Nevada

Elizabeth,

You’re not the first person to wonder if dentists weren’t just a little bit sadistic. However, most dentists go into the field because the like to help people and want to fix things.  I will admit some are more skilled at being gentle than others.

Because of that, a lot of people have dental anxiety.  That can actually exacerbate the situation. However, it is a little unrealistic to think a patient can just stop being fearful.

One thing that can really help is sedation dentistry. This can give you a totally pain free appointment.  In fact, depending on which type of sedation you choose, it’s possible you could not even remember the appointment at all.

I hope this helps.

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Invisalign or Wine…Having a hard time choosing

I’ve been wanting to get my teeth straightened for quite some time. I’ve always been a little uncomfortable with a small gap in my teeth. However, my dentist said I wouldn’t be able to drink wine while I was doing Invisalign. I think I’d rather impale myself then go several months without wine. Is there no wiggle room on this?

Sammie M. – Lawrence, MA

Sammie,

I think you may have misunderstood your doctor…or maybe your doctor is a prohibitionist and he was trying to keep you from drinking. Unlike traditional orthodontics, Invisalign can be removed by the patient. In fact, you’ll remove them every time you eat.  That means there will be no problem with you having a glass of wine with your meal.

He probably meant that you shouldn’t drink wine while your aligners are in. There is a good reason for this. Alcohol is corrosive and if you drink it while your aligner is in, it is likely to pool in the aligners and damage your teeth.

If the only problem with your teeth is a small gap, you have other options. Hopefully, your dentist also mentioned cosmetic dentistry, such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding.  Either of these would fix the gap without the need for orthodontics.

This blog is brought to you by America’s Dental Bookstore.