Why are People Afraid of Dentists?

Why are People Afraid of Dentists? - By: sandy rhodes


The fear of pain is to blame for fifty one percent of the population refusing to get dental care. Among the people who do go to the dentist, eighty percent of them say that they understand why it is needed but do not enjoy it one bit. There is a chance that people's views might change when aesthetic or cosmetic dentistry, without drilling, becomes ordinary. When it comes to their popularity, it had nowhere to go but up thanks to the dentists who gave people a new smile on life.

Used to fill in unsightly gaps and cover discolorations, breaks, and cracks are composite plastic resins which look and feel like tooth enamel and could easily be painted and sculpted as well. This is what is referred to as the bonding process because the resin adheres directly to the tooth and on most occasions, application is done on the front teeth. Often calling for some drilling is a retention trench which is not needed here. It only takes one visit to complete the bonding procedure, it is less expensive than a crown, and is relatively painless but if work is performed close to the gums an anesthetic can be used.

Newly developed composites bond better and a greater range of shades make matching the new restorative materials with existing teeth a lot easier. Temporarily creating micropores or tiny crevices in the enamel structure during a bonding procedure is the application of a mild etching solution to the teeth. After an intense light hardens the resin, it can bond onto teeth enamel within seconds. A final coat is applied and then the resin can be shaped and polished.

Cosmetic dentistry is becoming a true art form, where a gap is filled without making it appear the tooth has been enlarged. The tooth is actually wider, but by altering the angles of the teeth to affect the way the light shines into an observer's eye, it gives the impression nothing has been changed except to fill in the gap. Should the technique fail then the bonding can be removed and then replaced without harming the teeth. Only a small amount of enamel is removed by the etching solution and so it could remineralize within 24 hours if left alone.

If people have problems with defective enamel then the bonding may fail and this occurs during the first few days. But considering how bonding is not a panacea, there is nothing that will replace other kinds of restorative work. At the point where the structural integrity of the tooth is compromised, it is advised that you get a crown done.

Regardless of how beneficial cosmetic dentistry has been, dentists are worried that with the constant attention being given by people to their front teeth they might start neglecting their back teeth. Bonding is definitely cheaper than crowning. What bonding is not is a permanent solution. What occurs anywhere from three to five years after the resin has been applied is discoloration and flaking wherein the process needs to be repeats.

Susceptible to staining are the people who are smokers and avid coffee drinkers. Still needing some improvement, it is possible for bonding on the back teeth which is at its infancy stage to reduce the need for drilling as it is used to replace silver fillings. With a hand tool, the dentist needs to scrape off the decayed area and then apply the resin directly to a substance beneath the enamel that makes up the body of the tooth called the dentin.

Effective as a sealant to correct pits and grooves in the enamel on the back teeth is the bonding process but tooth decay might be invited in if there are any defects. What the Academy of General Dentistry said was that more adults are retaining their teeth and thirty seven percent of children today have never had a cavity. Although it seems practical, it can lead to a lot of expenses in the future.