Fear of the dentist is much more common than it seems. For some patients, it means feeling uneasy before an appointment. For others, the anxiety is so intense that they put off dental checkups for years and only see a dentist when they experience pain or have an emergency.
In our experience at EXCEDENT, fear of the dentist isn’t always related to the treatment itself. Sometimes patients are afraid of pain, other times of losing control, of an unpleasant past experience, or even of being judged for the condition of their teeth.
That is why the first step toward successful treatment is to understand the person in front of us and what exactly makes them feel vulnerable.
Why Do People Develop a Fear of the Dentist?
Dental anxiety can have various causes. A painful experience from childhood or the past can remain associated with a visit to the dentist for a long time. For other patients, the mere sound of the instruments, the anesthesia, or the anticipation of pain is enough to trigger a state of tension.
But there is also a component that is less talked about: the feeling of losing control . The patient is in a vulnerable position, does not see exactly what is happening and cannot communicate at all times when someone else intervenes in a very intimate and very sensitive area. If the doctor does not explain the stages of the treatment, this feeling can be amplified.
In the office, our role is not to judge how the patient ended up in a certain situation, but to understand where we’re starting from and what we can do moving forward.
What happens when a fear of the dentist leads to postponing treatment?
The medical problem of dental anxiety arises when it leads to the avoidance of necessary checkups and treatments.
A cavity detected at an early stage can be treated with a conservative procedure. If left untreated, it can spread to the dental pulp and may require endodontic treatment. Uncontrolled gum inflammation can progress, and a tooth that could have been saved in time may end up requiring much more complex treatments.
This creates a vicious cycle: the patient fears treatment and puts it off, the problem worsens, and the procedure they will eventually need becomes more complex; their fear of the dentist intensifies, and they end up in exactly the situation they feared from the start.
That is why, for a patient who is afraid of the dentist, the first visit is particularly important.
How can dental anxiety be reduced?
More than the technology and the treatment itself, what matters is the relationship between the doctor and the patient.
An anxious patient needs to know what is going to happen, why a procedure is necessary, and what they will feel during it. Explaining the steps, allowing the patient to ask for a break, and setting a pace the patient can tolerate help restore a sense of control and eliminate the fear of the unknown.
In our clinic’s practice, the treatment plan begins before the actual medical procedure. It starts with how we make the patient feel in the office.
Sometimes, the first appointment may involve nothing more than a discussion, an assessment, and gaining an understanding of the situation. Once the patient knows what the problems are and what the solutions are, the uncertainty begins to fade, and treatment becomes easier to manage.
Modern dentistry offers, at the same time, effective anesthesia methods, digital technology, and more precise procedures, all of which contribute to patient comfort.
When Fear Is Overwhelming: Analgesic Sedation
There are patients for whom communication, local anesthesia, and gradual acclimatization are not sufficient. In cases of severe dental anxiety, dentophobia, or when complex and lengthy procedures must be performed, analgosedation may be a solution.
At EXCEDENT , we provide intravenous conscioussedation following a medical evaluation. During the procedure, the patient is in a state of deep relaxation, and vital signs are continuously monitored. Analgesia can also be used for surgical procedures, implantology, and other complex dental treatments.
The recommendation is determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the patient’s overall health, level of anxiety, and the treatment to be administered.
The first step might just be a consultation
If you’re afraid of the dentist and have put off treatment for months or even years, it’s important to know that your first visit shouldn’t be seen as the immediate start of a complicated procedure, but rather as an opportunity to get comfortable and build a rapport with your dentist.
The first step is to understand your medical condition, as well as what exactly is causing your fear. From there, we can develop a treatment plan so that you know what to expect, what your options are, and how we can manage your discomfort and anxiety.
If your fear of the dentist has caused you to put off your appointment or treatment, schedule an appointment at EXCEDENT. We can start with a conversation, a comprehensive evaluation, and a treatment plan tailored to your pace.
I also spoke at length about the fear of the dentist, the loss of a sense of control, and the fear of being judged in the podcast I recorded with Damian Drăghici.
This is a conversation about what patients feel before they sit in the dental chair and about how important a trusting relationship with the dentist is in overcoming anxiety. We invite you to watch it; it can help you better understand your situation and our values.
Dr. Mihaela Măgureanu
Senior Dentist
EXCEDENT Clinic
