Dental anxiety? Join the club

Did you know that only 60% of Australian adults visit the dentist annually?

That means 40% of people are avoiding the dentist. While there are a number of different reasons why people don’t visit the dentist, dental phobia is among one of the most prevalent factors. So if you are feeling anxious about your dental appointment, try to relax – you are not alone.

Treating dental phobia

Dr Craig Duval and our dental professionals at our South Brisbane practice treat anxious patients every single day. We make it a priority to find out if our patients are feeling nervous about their appointment. If you are feeling nervous about your appointment, there are a number of different steps our dental professionals can take to help to make you feel relaxed and comfortable.

Causes of dental anxiety

There are a number of reasons why people feel anxious about visiting the dentist. The three most common reasons that people fear the dentist include:

Past experiences

Many patients who experience dental anxiety have had an unpleasant experience when visiting the dentist in the past.

The Sherwood Dental difference: Our dental professionals take the time to discuss any anxieties you may be feeling with you prior to your treatment. Dr Craig Duval will walk you through your appointment as it is happening to help minimise any dental anxiety you are feeling. Our practice prioritises your comfort and if you feel nervous or uncomfortable at any point during your appointment we encourage you to let our dental professionals know immediately. We also strive to personalise your appointment, so you never feel like you are just a number.

  • Perceived lack of control

The feeling of being laid back in the dental chair and out of control during your treatment can generate dental anxiety.

The Sherwood Dental difference: Dr Craig Duval understands that lying back in the dental chair can make patients feel nervous. In partnership with our dental team Dr Craig Duval will walk you through each step of your treatment as it is happening. This means no surprises during your appointment, so you can relax and feel that you know what each step will be.

  • Fear of the outcome

A significant factor of dental anxiety is a fear of the outcome of your appointment or the perceived belief that you will receive bad news.

The Sherwood Dental difference: Sherwood Dental is committed to giving you an accurate diagnosis and discussing your full treatment options with you. We will never begin a treatment without discussing the procedure and the pricing with you first. Chances are if you have a moderate toothache you will only need a filling, however the sooner you have a toothache seen to the easier it will be to treat. We practice conservative dentistry so you don’t have to worry about our dental professionals suggesting a treatment that is unnecessary for your teeth.

The consequences of not receiving dental care

There are a number of concerning consequences that can develop as result of not visiting the dentist.

According to the results of the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey in 2010, 1 in 5 people in rated their dental health as ‘fair’ or ‘poor’ and 25.3% of people reported being uncomfortable with their dental appearance.

By ignoring poor dental health because of dental anxiety, unfortunately the concerns will only become more serious.

Your options for managing dental anxiety at Sherwood Dental

If you have a fear of visiting the dentist or receiving dental treatment then sedation dentistry may be a viable option for you. We offer highly monitored sedation dentistry from our relaxing South Brisbane dental practice.

We also offer local anaesthetic so our patients do not feel any pain or discomfort from their treatment. In some circumstances a specialised anaesthetic gel or spray which has a numbing effect may be applied prior to the administration of the local aesthetic injection is administered.

Dr Craig Duval partners these options with compassionate and attentive care throughout every step of your treatment.

If you would like to know more about dental anxiety, or to book an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact our Sherwood dental professionals.

The truth behind wisdom teeth

The story behind wisdom teeth

At Sherwood Dental Care our skilled dental team understand that many of our patients are confused when it comes to wisdom teeth. Not only are patients confused about why wisdom teeth erupt, many are also unsure whether they should have their wisdom teeth removed.

Our dental professionals strive to give our patients all the information they need to make an informed decision at our Sherwood practice. When it comes to wisdom teeth, each patient is unique and the discussed outcome – whether to extract or not to extract- will differ from patient to patient. Some patients never even grow wisdom teeth, while some will have 4 erupt, some may only have 3 – there is no formula to it.

Why do we have wisdom teeth?

The question of why we have wisdom teeth has been a commonly asked query for many years, asked by many different people from a variety of professions.

Regardless of why, most medical professionals will agree that in our modern lives wisdom teeth are often unnecessary within the dental arch. Some biologists have classified the teeth as “vestigial organs”, meaning that this part of the body is virtually redundant in modern times.

Why do wisdom teeth erupt later in life?

Tooth development normally occurs in two major stages: firstly with the eruption of the baby teeth and secondly with the eruption of the adult teeth. These phases can span years, with the first phase occurring around 6 months old and the second following at around 7 or 8 years. In saying that, it is important to note that like our patients, their teeth are also unique, and there is no set exact time that teeth erupt.

Unlike baby and adult teeth, wisdom teeth differ, often erupting sometime between the ages of 17 to 25.

The name “wisdom teeth” is actually derived from the notion that by the time you receive these teeth that you are normally “wise”. An answer to why they do not develop until this time could be related to the fact that the need to chew more coarse food does not develop until people reach adulthood.

Why can wisdom teeth become a concern?

While some people’s wisdom teeth will erupt with only slight discomfort and no real greater concern, often wisdom teeth can become quite problematic. This is because the upper and lower dental arch is often not large enough to accommodate these extra teeth.

What complications can arise from erupting wisdom teeth?

There are a number of concerns that can be caused by the presence or eruption of wisdom teeth. These problems include:

  • Shifting of the surrounding teeth – Wisdom teeth can cause the surrounding teeth to move in order to accommodate for the new teeth, which can not only cause complications in your bite, it can also make your teeth appear crooked.
  • Impaction – These teeth can also impact into the other teeth, which can ultimately damage the other teeth, the bite structure and even the jawbone.
  • Infection – If the teeth partially erupt, or remain beneath the gum line, they can create an opening where the bacteria can become trapped, which can ultimately lead to a bacteria growth and the spread of infection.

To extract or not to extract

As we mentioned above, this question will be entirely dependent on your particular dental condition.  Our dental professionals are committed to providing an individualised and holistic approach to dentistry, thus we assess each of our patients unique dental condition before suggesting a treatment option to them.

If you are feeling any pain or discomfort, or if you notice your wisdom teeth erupting, please do not hesitate to contact our Sherwood dental professionals.