One problem that some people have with dental treatment is the number of visits needed when a considerable amount of treatment is required. Some patients will say, "It really bothers me that I can never seem to get all the work done." The point is well taken. In today's fast-paced world, many people can have trouble scheduling five, ten or more dental visits. This is especially true if the appointments conflict with a person's work schedule. Unfortunately, some dentists do not have adequate evening or weekend hours. There are also patients who prefer to get their treatment done in as few visits as possible because of the stress or dental anxiety they feel when they visit the dentist. Whatever the reason, in most cases, dentists can greatly limit the amount of appointments needed to complete their patient's dental care needs.
To better understand the amount of visits it takes to get dental treatment done, you need to know a little bit about different dental procedures. For instance, having a cavity treated or a tooth pulled takes one visit, but a dentist usually only treats one area or side of the mouth at a time. A root canal usually takes one or two visits, and a dental crown (cap) or porcelain veneers takes two visits. A full or partial denture, fixed bridgework (a series of joined caps or crowns), or gum treatment will usually take three or more visits. So you can imagine that if a person requires several of these services throughout the mouth, many visits may be required.
Fortunately, patients that cannot schedule or tolerate multiple visits can have most, if not all, of their treatment completed in one to three visits. To do this, the dentist and patient must be willing to block out a long period of time -- often several hours -- to get the treatment finished. The dentist should also ask the patient to take frequent breaks to rest their mouth, and also inform him or her about the potential for discomfort for a few days after the treatment is completed. Patients in poor general health or those that have TMJ problems or financial limitations may not be good candidates for long dental treatment visits.
People come to the dentist with their own individual needs and expectations. I once had to treat a patient for nine straight hours to get all of his treatment finished. His job had erratic hours and he never could be sure when he would be off or where he would be located. Unique situations call for unique solutions, and long dental visits can be the answer for those with several dental problems, but who prefer fewer appointments.
Remember, only a dentist can diagnose your dental problems and offer the right treatment plan for you. If you need a dentist, call us at 1-866-970-0441 to be connected with one today.
