I consider dental anxiety one of the major causes of tooth loss today. It is a crippling condition that pushes one to delay needed therapy to the point that no longer can you keep your teeth - eventually losing them.
Patients commonly have histories of appointments that were poor outcomes, many times dentistry was not done well. Patients recount experiences from their youth that have caused them to lack trust in the dentist. They wind up just not getting ANY dental care as the problems mount.
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Are you embarrassed by loose, removable teeth?
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Do you find yourself covering your smile with your hand when around others?
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Do you order food that is soft so you don’t have to chew to eat it?
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Do you find it hard to speak clearly?
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Have you lost your sense of taste and enjoyment of food?
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Do you avoid social events because of the appearance of your smile?
"I want to keep my teeth for a lifetime-!"----Its very rare to find anyone who does not have that as a goal. What we are finding as dentists is that the increased lifespan is creating challenges to that goal. What is happening is teeth are just simply WEARING OUT! If you see chipping or flattening on the edges of the top front teeth, it is a tip off that the hard enamel layer is damaged. For teeth to last 80,90,or even 100 years the wearing must be addressed -----or it could be a disaster.
A common statement I hear from teeth whitening patients in my office from attempts at making their smile brighter is "whitening doesn't work for me, I have tried everything and they went back to the same color".
In taking their history, various whitening methods will have been tried. Among them:
- A one time procedure with a light that changes them multiple shades, but fades back.
- Over the counter methods like crest strips and such that give mediocre results but gain less than expected.
- Tray systems that are involved with whitening materials that helped some but not a bright as you expected.
Bottom line - teeth whitening is generally an experience that most feel did not give the expected result.