*dental phobia* "The Wand" and Air abrasion... info required

merlinormartin

hi all .. i havent visited the dentist for "many" years due to a phobia of needles and the dreaded drill, Two teeth now require urgent attention, so i have decided to bite the bullet and get over the fear _pale_ . I plan to take out a private dental plan for around £20-£25pm, while using the internet to search for a dentist i came accross
"the wand" http://www.clocktowerdental.com/wand.htm and
air abrasion http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/air_abrasion.html

Does anyone have experience of these procedures?

Many Thanks

Toothsmith

They are fine, and work well in their place.

They are not suitable for every situation though, so I wouldn't really build your hopes up of it being a wonder cure to your phobia.

The very best thing I can recommend is that you put the emphasis on finding a good caring dentist, not a particular gadget.

Get recommendations from friends/family/work colleagues/neighbours.

When you have one or two possibilities, go and visit the practices on the pretence of getting 'more information'.

That way, you will meet some of the staff, get a 'feel' for the place, and be able to decide if it is the place you want to book an appointment at. Also, it will help you actually going through the front door, knowing that on that occasion, you're not actually going to 'see the dentist'.

This means that when you do have your first proper appointment, you will be going to somewhere you have a little experience of, and so it won't be quite as scary.

Also, you can explain your fears to the staff you meet, so they will be ready for you when you come.

Visiting the practice first will be sooooo much better than just booking an appointment with somewhere you've found on the internet and turning up completely unprepared.

Well done in getting some cover first. It's also much better if you know that at least part of the bill is covered.

Tigger36

I fully agree with Toothsmith - go and see some practices and find a nice dentist...then...look at what they offer.
Having suffered from severe dental phobia for many years, I'm now successfully half way through deep cleaning treatment. Fortunately I didn't need anything else. I found a lovely dentist who I felt comfortable with immediately. He put my mind at ease and was really 'phobic friendly' from day one. I'm also very lucky because he uses the 'Wand'. It is truly marvellous. I didn't feel the injections - just a little painful second when it first went in - and my mouth stayed numb throughout the 30 minute treatment.
See if you can get a reccommendation for your area from someone.
Also have a look at this fabulous website -
http://www.dentalfearcentral.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

It really helped me out when I was looking for a dentist and going through the fear of my first appointment. Good luck and :T for even thinking about going. That truly is the hardest part.

elisebutt65

OMG!! I need a dentist who uses one of these!!!!!

I hate injections and if necessary have fillings without -0 Drill isn't so bad - I just abhor injections - I had a tiny bit of tooth taken out under general anaesthetic lat year because I would have bitten the dentist if he'd got a needle near my mouth! It's that bad!

merlinormartin

Thanks for your replies.... can anyone recommend a "kind" dentist in the somerset area.... preferably one who uses the "wand"

xxvickixx

I had Ozone - the particles blast the decay out (or something along those lines). It cost a bit more than a normal white filling and there was a lot more aftercare with special toothpaste and mouthwash but it was only about £30 - £50 (I'm a bit vague as it was 6 years ago and my perception of expensive has changed since then!)

It didn't hurt at all, I didn't need a jab, the hole was fairly big (I could feel it with my toungue) and I have had no problems since. HTH.

I found a practice in my small town that did it.

Just realised how old this thread was!!! Must have clicked on something - I thought there were a lot of new threads lol!