Watford Dentist

It’s sad isn’t it that some people would rather have bad teeth and be too embarrassed to smile…rather than face their fears and go to Watford dentists. Often these people have had a bad dental experience during their childhood.

It doesn’t have to be this way. There is a solution?

Yes. There are many options available for nervous patients.

Firstly, make sure the dental practice you intend to visit specializes in treating anxious patients. Unfortunately, some dentists get nervous themselves when confronted with a anxious patient!

Secondly. Discuss with your dentist what anaesthetic options are open to you. Sedation involves an injection in the back of your hand. It won’t put you to sleep but it will relax you. A welcome side-effect of many sedative drugs is that you won’t remember the procedure.

In extreme cases your dentist may recommend a general anaesthetic. This means your actually asleep for the procedure. Make sure the practice has a fully trained anaesthetist. It may be possible to have the dental treatment in a private hospital. In these circumstances, your anaesthetist may even give you a pre-med to calm your nerves before going to the theatre.

Thirdly, you could consider hypnosis. Check the internet or Yellow Pages for a local clinic. Always make certain they are accredited. Some hypnotherapists offer a money-back guarantee if the treatment is unsuccessful.

Fourthly. Get the best cosmetic dentist available. Although all cosmetic dentists who’ve had specialist training must reach an acceptable standard…like any job, some dentists are more talented, more experienced and more knowledgeable than their colleagues.

Check they are accredited. Ask them their complication rates. How many similar dental treatments have they carried out.? And how recently? Look at their testimonials an before and after pictures.

Finally, remember that cosmetic dentistry has come a long way in recent years. Knowledge, equipment and regulation have all improved dramatically. This means you will have a different experience compared with any bad memories from the past.

Your smile is often the first thing that people notice about you. First impressions often stick. Don’t let your fears hold you back. Get the smile you deserve. Think how more confident you’ll be.

If you need a dentist in Watford, what should you look for?

Obviously, if you have a toothache right now, you will be looking for the first available appointment, but slow down before you dial the first number you find. Finding the right Watford dentist for you and your family is essential.

One of the first things you should consider is the cost involved.

Secondly look at the dentist’s reputation. You can do a lot of this research on the internet, and by checking out a number of different dentists’ websites, you will be able to get a good idea of what you are dealing with. If you need an NHS dentist, for example, it would be pointless to go to a dentist who only takes private patients. The difference in cost will give you more than a toothache afterwards!

All dentists are definitely not equal, so if you are looking to get your teeth whitened, or veneers or any non-emergency work done to your teeth, you should definitely shop around.

I read a story in the Guardian recently where a reporter needed emergency dental care, and this is what happened:

The first dentist, with whom he had been registered for years, told him that he had been taken off their NHS list because he had not been in three years. They would take him privately – no surprise there!

The second dentist told him he needed a root canal specialist, who quoted £1700 for a root canal procedure and a crown.

The third dentist told him his teeth were in good condition, but he had gum disease. A course of antibiotics and a scale and polish, on the NHS, cost a mere £16.50. Great you may think, but no, the toothache came back.

He visited a fourth dentist who told him he did not have gum disease at all, he just needed some simple root canal work, plus the crown and on the NHS that would cost only £198.

This little saga could apply to anyone, look at the differences both in price and in diagnosis, it’s scary! If your car needs something doing to it, you don’t take it to the first garage you find, do you?

Do not make these mistakes when shopping for your Watford dentist, do your homework first. Many of these dentists have their own websites and give lots of information about what they do, and importantly, whether they take NHS patients or not. When I checked the first three sites, that fact was not even mentioned.

Does each dentist give the same care to an NHS patient as they would to a private patient? That’s something else to investigate if you can.

Another thing to consider is whether the dentist has up to date equipment, if he hasn’t kept up with the times, then you are probably going to end up with the equivalent of a pair of pliers and a gas anesthetic. Dentistry has changed a lot in the past few years and there is no reason for you to suffer unnecessarily, even if you do need a tooth extraction.

It can be difficult if you have just moved to a new area and you don’t know any of the local people well. It may be an idea to go somewhere the locals hang out and ask around.