One complaint heard among many people is that they are not thrilled about the number of visits they are required to have to the dental office when they need work done. It bothers some that the dentist never seems to get all the work done.
Today we live in a fast paced, have-it-now, society so this viewpoint is understandable. It can be hard to schedule five, or ten visits, especially when these visits interrupt normal work time.
Unfortunately, some dentists do not have adequate evening or weekend hours. There are also patients who prefer to get their treatment done in as few visits as possible because of the stress or anxiety they feel when they go to the dentist.
Whatever the reason, in most cases, dentists can greatly limit the amount of appointments needed to complete their patient's dental care needs.
To better understand the amount of visits it takes to get dental treatments done, you need to know a little bit about different dental procedures. For instance, having a cavity treated or a tooth pulled takes one visit, but a dentist usually only treats one area or side of the mouth at a time.
A root canal usually takes one or two visits, and a crown (cap) or porcelain veneers takes two visits. A full or partial denture, fixed bridgework (a series of joined caps or crowns), or treatment of the gums will usually take three or more dental visits.
So you can imagine that if a person requires several of these services throughout the mouth, many visits may be required.
Fortunately, patients that cannot schedule or tolerate multiple visits can have most, if not all, of their treatment completed in one to three visits. To do this, the dentist and patient must be willing to block out a long period of time -- often several hours -- to get the treatment finished.
The dentist should also ask the patient to take frequent breaks to rest their mouth, and also inform him or her about the potential for discomfort for a few days after the treatment is completed. Patients in poor general health or those that have TMJ problems or financial limitations may not be good candidates for long dental treatment visits.
People come to the dentist with their own individual needs and expectations. I once had a relative treated for nine straight hours to get all of his treatment finished. His job had erratic hours and he never could be sure when he would be off or where he would be located.
Unique situations call for unique solutions, and long dental visits can be the answer for those with several dental problems, but who prefer fewer appointments. This is something you need to ask your dentist if they are open to.
This can require that they see fewer patients that day; you may even find yourself restless and ready to leave after just a few hours. But it can be worth it when your job is on the line.
Here is a checklist of things dentists can do to improve dental visits:
- In an effort to reduce discomfort during dental procedures, today's dentist can use either air abrasion or a dental laser. These modern devices enable dentists to treat many cavities without a needle or a dental drill.
- Nitrous oxide gas, often referred to as laughing gas or sweet air, is an effective anesthetic drug that has many benefits for patients seeking dental treatment.
- A caring and concerned attitude by the dentist can often go a long way to allaying a patient's anxiety and can significantly reduce gagging. The dentist should then find out what procedures or situations have triggered gagging in the past and see if alternative ones can be used.
- New techniques have greatly reduced the time needed to perform a root canal, and have also greatly limited the potential for discomfort. In most cases, root canal therapy can be effectively completed in just one visit!
- Most patients prefer to get their treatment completed as soon as possible. Dental offices that consistently stay on or close to schedule help patients feel comfortable and well-cared for.
- The most effective way to help patients cope with discomfort sometimes associated with dental care is to let them know what to expect ahead of time. Misunderstandings regarding the scope, expectations and potential for discomfort during or after treatment can weaken the dentist-patient relationship.
- One all too common reason that people avoid going to the dentist is the fear that the dentist will scold them about the condition of their teeth. Most dentists realize that scolding their patients will ultimately backfire, because it tends to either drive people away or cause them to build up a barrier of resentment towards the dentist.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry is a former dental assistant and has authored hundreds of articles relating to oral health and dentist in Victorville, CA. He has been a guest dental lecturer for over 15 years.
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