I dread seeing a dentist

[Nelson B]

I am a 58 year old male with a dread/fear of dentists which I have had through out my life. I have a tooth at the front which has decayed and the small amount of remaining root has cracked and I have been told by my dentist that the tooth will need to be removed and a denture placed.

I am not interested in having a denture because I am worried that it will fall out every time I am out with my family and friends and be a source of ridicule and embarrassment for me.

I would like to know if I am a suitable candidate for a tooth implant bearing in mind my fear of dental treatment? Is there anyway that the treatment can be done in a way so that I am fully asleep?

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your post.

Anxiety with regards to dental treatment should not be a barrier to you having the best dental treatment. We need to assess your mouth clinically first but as long as everything is OK clinically, we can provide you with a dental implant under IV sedation.

Putting people fully to sleep is really general anaesthetic and very little general dentistry is done these days under GA as it carries far more risks that sedation and local anaesthetic. But an experienced anaesthetist should be able to provide you with excellent sedation so that you can have your dental implant treatment completely relaxed without the need for GA.