testimonials and clinical cases
WORDS OF PATIENTS AFRAID OF THE DENTIST
Isolated, they wanted to share their experience so that other sufferers could find hope and end their medical wandering
WORDS OF PATIENTS AFRAID OF THE DENTIST
Thank you to the patients who courageously accepted to testify about their fear of the dentist or their stomatophobia or their nausea at the dental office. They felt isolated like many others and wanted to share their experience so that other sufferers could find hope and end their medical wandering. If you wish to evaluate your fear of the dentist, do not hesitate to take the test to determine if you suffer from dental phobia.
Chloé, 35 years old, lawyer, married and mother of 3 children.
CERAMIC CROWNING in spite of stomatoPHOBIA
UNDER IV SEDATION
“Due to an acute dental phobia, I had not been to the dentist for many years. My teeth were in a terrible state, my smile non-existent. I hadn’t smiled in years.
I have not found any photos of family events where I can be seen smiling in the last 15 years of my life.
I wanted to heal myself and above all to find a normal life as a woman.
I had no way of achieving this and I was desperate.
I had poly-caries and dental cysts. There were many teeth to extract.
The doctor offered me many solutions. I finally opted to have ceramic crowns placed on all of my upper and lower teeth under sedation.
The doctor made temporary prostheses. The treatment took several months, and I was apprehensive about the first session. But as time went on, I relaxed completely, and there were times when I even fell asleep in the chair.
Very quickly, I no longer needed sedation.
I have a smile back, healthy teeth.”
CHLOÉ
Franck, 56 years old, truck driver.
reconstruction of the jawbone by bone grafts, sinus lift, dental implants despite stomatophobia
UNDER IV SEDATION
“Hello, my name is Franck, I am a truck driver and I am 56 years old.
I have had a phobia of the dentist since I was a child. This results in uncontrollable nausea in the dentist’s chair.
After several years of questioning myself, not being able to go out, not being able to smile, not being able to see anyone, because of my bad teeth, I was very sad and very alone.
Not knowing what to do, I went on the internet and found the site peurdudentiste. We talked on the phone with the doctor. He asked me to take some time to think about it. Finally I decided to meet him in Geneva for a consultation, I live in Touraine.
I was scared to death of the dentist since I was a child.
I had a scan and the doctor analyzed it in front of me. We talked at length about the solution to my problems, and the costs involved.
I’m a truck driver and it was going to be expensive, but looking back, it was worth it!
But the fear of the dentist was always there…
It took a first operation under general anesthesia at the clinic which went very well, and no pain on waking. Then the suite at the office.
About four months after the first procedure there was another one for the placement of the implants in the clinic, and again, I had no pain.
However, I was not at ease.
After a lot of care and testing, we got to the end, and the result is perfect for me.
Thank you very much because thanks to the whole team I can smile again and live my life”.
FRANCK
Ekaterina, 60 years old, married, 4 children.
stomatoPHOBIA, BRUXISM and SMILE RESTRUCTURING
UNDER IV SEDATION
“Hello, my name is Ekaterina and I am dental phobic, anxious and bruxomic and I am “an Eastern girl” with “character”.
I am lucky because at sixty years old I have had very few visits to the dentist because my teeth have always been rather pretty and especially healthy.
My phobia of the dentist was the result of my, admittedly short, but very violent experiences at the dentist.
I contracted this dentophobia at a very young age when my family had difficulty accessing dental care for financial and geographical reasons.
Coming from a country of the former USSR, as a little girl with my parents, I was not lucky enough to find a gentle dentist and the treatments I underwent totally traumatized me.
Fortunately the techniques have improved over time.
When I came to Switzerland, I married at a very young age to a very handsome and brilliant young man who gave me a good life with a very good medical career. He patiently explained to me all the advances in medicine.
But I didn’t want to go to the dentist, even though I’ve given birth four times!
Anyway, I didn’t really need it since I don’t have any cavities.
So we had children and even though my life as a stay-at-home mom should have given me peace of mind, I am a very anxious person and I grind my teeth at night!
This is called bruxism: I have worn down my teeth to the point of losing at least two millimeters at the top and another two millimeters at the bottom, that is, at least four millimeters in total.
Bruxism combined with a fear of the dentist meant that I didn’t want to have my teeth treated despite sensitivity to the necks of my teeth and ear pain, combined with tinnitus (continuous ringing in the ears).
And then four millimeters less on the total height of my lower face means that my chin has moved four millimeters closer to my nose (the size of a pencil).
It makes me look ten years older than my age.
It also means that my lips, which I’ve always been quite plump, are crushed together, which makes me look like I’m making a not very nice pout.
Now, at the risk of sounding pretentious, I have always been a very beautiful woman at all ages. When I was young, it was only my marriage that prevented me from having an international modeling career. So, to see myself losing my femininity and my seduction over time plunges me into a semi depressive state.
I feel like I am trapped in a body that is slowly dying!
It’s all the more horrible that, on the contrary, time doesn’t seem to have any hold on my husband! So, this time lag in the chronology of our couple’s aging was not helping to reassure me and calm my nerves!!!
Then one day, I couldn’t stand the pain and damage to my face anymore and I asked my husband to help me do something.
So we met with the Dr. in his office.
Finally in confidence, my husband and I signed up for a comprehensive makeover of both my jaws, my smile and my face.
All under sedation by injection of sleeping pills in the presence of his anesthesiologist.
This choice was anyway quickly made because it was motivated by two major reasons:
– Dental phobia on the one hand:
It was impossible to treat me other than under sedation for the psychological reasons mentioned above.
– Time and geographical distance on the other hand:
Because I am far from Geneva and busy with my family, I cannot be away for too long and too often. In addition, the cost of repeated travel would have “added to the bill.
Finally, the anaesthetist’s fees compared to the cost of transportation for those who live far away remain totally “profitable”.
Therefore, the obligation to group and compact half-day care in Geneva over one or more days.
We compacted the dental care without any fear or pain to the maximum in several half days under sedation.
Result: The photos speak for themselves!
I am delighted and my husband is bluffed, too happy to find me as when we knew each other (or almost) forty years ago!
The result is what I dreamed of: my white teeth, my “young girl” smile and my face are exactly what a woman of my age could hope for.
I thank the entire doctor’s team for their kindness.”
EKATERINA
Diana, 50 years old. Consultant
INLAYS AND DENTAL IMPLANTS despite STOMATOPHOBIUS
UNDER IV SEDATION
“Hello. My name is Diana, I am 50 years old. I have created my own company and I am a consultant. Here is my testimony about my phobia of the dentist.
Due to my phobia of the dentist, I was not able to go to the dentist since I was 20 years old.
I told myself that when there was a tooth to extract, the pain would make me go for it.
That was my fear!
But it’s not only cavities…
Even while brushing my teeth, as time went on, my gums were also affected.
I ended up with migraines, infections and finally a toothache that made me desperately look for a dentist who would be kind to people like me (those who have fear that takes away all logic).
At the first appointment, everything went smoothly, without any device in my mouth, without fear, just a first contact and the prescription of radiological, blood and cardiological tests to be done to see if sedation was possible.
After that, we implemented the plan of attack, I was able to get to know the anesthesiologist, ask all the questions and receive all the necessary information (why and how it would happen, the mutual insurance company, etc).
On the day, I am welcomed with good mood, smiles and I fall asleep while I talk (and yes, I talk, even if I am at the dentist, that’s me).
When I woke up my spouse was already there and apparently it was over.
However, it lasted 3 hours and I had micro-stitches in all my gums.
I must say that since the operation I have not had any bleeding when brushing and I am delighted.
Since this first operation, I have had two extractions andinlays and I will have an implant placement.
Personally, I can handle pain well, I stop taking painkillers as soon as possible, I have had several operations, etc.
It was that the dentist, just thinking about it, an anxiety, an irrational fear, although assumed but uncontrollable took hold of me.”
DIANA
Anaïs, 25 years old. Dancer
STOMATOPHOBIA AND SMILE RESTORATION
UNDER IV SEDATION
” Hello. My name is Anaïs and I am 25 years old. I am a cabaret dancer. “
I’ve had a phobia of the dentist since I was a little girl, and I was looking for a dentist who could treat me without me even realizing it.
Once found, this dentist received me at his office and after doing radiological examinations, he made a diagnosis and a treatment plan.
My teeth were very damaged from years of neglect. There were infections and my front teeth were an eyesore.
I am a dancer and I could not smile anymore which is very detrimental in my work.
I thought a lot because I was afraid.
Finally, we agreed on an appointment to proceed with a series of treatments under sedation.
The first one was for ” cleaning “. That is to say, to remove all the infections, to extract the teeth that were too damaged and lost, to do bone grafts to repair the bony parts of my jaws that were eaten away by cysts and to heal my badly decayed front teeth.
The plan was to do crowns to replace my front teeth and then do the back teeth.
I was very apprehensive and did not sleep for several nights before the procedure.
In fact, it went very well and it was a real relief for me to open my eyes and discover the work he had just done: He fixed all my teeth and put in temporary resin teeth that replaced my decayed teeth, which were almost as beautiful as real ones. I started to cry on the chair of joy and nervousness the stress passed. I had finally found my dream smile and my teeth to eat!
Several appointments under sedation followed where he placed the permanent ceramic teeth.
Of course, I am not cured of this phobia, but contrary to the beginning when I was obliged to come with a friend, now I come alone to the office.
It’s a very big step for me to have taken the step of going to the dentist. This was unthinkable before, and my family was very worried.
But after seeing the result, even with my temporary teeth, everyone was relieved to see me smiling, feeling good about myself and having more confidence in myself. In my job as a dancer, where aesthetics are essential, I didn’t smile so much anymore and the uneasiness had imposed itself. For casting, not smiling is sulking and I was losing jobs.
Now everything has changed!
Thank you to them wholeheartedly. “
ANAIS
Justine, 28 years old. Military
Stomatophobia and suffering from dental infections
UNDER IV SEDATION
” My name is Justine and I am 28 years old. I am a career military officer “. Here is my testimony about my phobia of the dentist.
Since I was a little girl, I never liked going to the dentist…
It was the struggle with my parents.
I once managed to dodge an appointment by locking myself in my room, that’s how traumatized I was.
I’ve been totally against dentists since the time I was so scared I was about to pass out! I was newly of age.
I joined the army in 2003, I was 22 years old. During these 10 years I always managed to pass between the drops during the medical visits…
But what stress and fear in my stomach I always had before going to the infirmary!
However, it’s not for lack of trying to get me to reschedule a dental appointment.
I had to do something to help myself!
During all these years without care, I think I was lucky not to have had too many toothaches…
But one day and I will remember it all my life, it was an evening of October 2011 before going to bed, I ate Haribo crocodiles…and while biting into one, I broke a tooth… And then, panic on board!!!
In the days that followed, I could hardly eat.
But I didn’t go back to a dentist, I took it upon myself and time passed.
The pain is gone…
I was left with a hole in my mouth that got worse as the days and weeks went by!
It was in May 2012 that I began to move past my fear, I had just learned that I was going to be transferred and it felt like the beginning of a new life ahead.
It took me a week to grab the phone.
The number was lying on my desk on a post-it note.
And then, on Monday of the following week, as I was coming back from my gym session, I had this trigger to pick up the phone and dial the number of the doctor’s office that I had found on the internet, not without trembling!
A lady answered me very kindly telling me that the doctor was in intervention. She took my phone number so that the doctor could contact me again.
I hung up with a big “whew”, thinking that the doctor would never call me back!
By the time I went to take a shower, I was getting ready to go back to work when suddenly the phone rang…wrote “dentist” as the calling number, because I had already entered the number into the phone!
And there, it’s as if life has stopped for the duration of the phone conversation.
We were on the phone for about 30 minutes.
Being unfortunately in a period of transfer with many internships, I could not find the time to come to Geneva for consultation in 2012. It wasn’t until I was comfortable at home that I decided to contact the doctor again to make an appointment.
It was late in the day on Wednesday, May 15, 2013. I was both very anxious and very excited to go to this appointment.
The wait in the waiting room was so short and yet so long and my heart was beating too fast!
Then, together, we assessed the damage, and the doctor proposed a battle plan to repair all my miseries!
Radiological check-up, various examinations and shock treatment plan with a surgical phase to remove all my infections and cysts and to put back bone in place of the holes caused by the cysts and the extracted teeth.
I have to admit that I was scared to death for the first session…
When I arrived in the morning, I was holding back from crying. The nurse reassured me while I waited for the doctor.
As the sessions went on, I was happy to get on the train to Paris.
I have to admit that, curiously and paradoxically, I miss this atmosphere where I am “pampered” and looked after…
But I am happiest now that I have regained my oral hygiene!
There, I hope you will have survived my lines. I am not a great literary person, I wrote as it came to me! “
JUSTINE
Lucie, 38 years old. Lawyer
STOMATOPHOBIA AND DENTAL ARCH RECONSTRUCTION
UNDER IV SEDATION
“Hello. My name is Lucie, I am 38 years old. I am a lawyer and I work as an international consultant for a company. Here is my testimony about my phobia of the dentist.
Each human being has a different dental capital.
This means that even from the same sibling, we can have differences.
In spite of a very good dental hygiene, my genetic heritage only brought me the deficient and unprotective side in odontostomatology.
Since I was a child, my molars have been gradually decaying. In the 1980’s, when the perception of pain was not recognized, I was about seven years old and like many children I was the victim of these abominable torments related to the placement of amalgams and the application of the famous “dental drill” without anesthesia!
This trauma prevented me as an adult from realizing the importance of seeking treatment. And this despite real infections: abscesses, new cavities and cysts repeatedly. I would rather suffer and take painkillers than contact a dentist. Most of all, I got used to this pain that I was taming year after year… And that, finally, I mastered.
Just making an appointment by phone filled me with anxiety and pain! To cry! When I had even managed to reach an office, most of the time, I confess, I hung up after the first ring.
A few years later, a very serious accident completely disfigured me, amplifying my dental problems by the almost total loss of all my upper molars!
Still afraid, I didn’t have the courage to turn to a specialist, although at that time there had already been great technical advances.
But not about the responsiveness of the patient’s anxieties. So pain. Because that’s where the anguish comes from! Perceived pain that is not really felt.
A feeling of panic, an uncontrollable terror materializing in tremors and dizziness, often accompanied by fulminating nausea, as well as a psychic imbalance to the point of becoming aggressive, prevented me from being able to take this step, which was nevertheless essential to a possible cure. So I let it hang out again. To the point of wearing out my front teeth and having an asymmetrical jaw. Until I couldn’t eat the food I was ingesting properly. Even to the point of being tired when I was eating…
But what if it stopped there!
I didn’t dare to smile or even have my picture taken, even though in my youth I was a model. Hollowed out in the cheeks, I looked five years older than my age. My face was wearing down like my teeth. Socially and personally, it was no longer possible, something had to be done because otherwise in ten years the only alternative would have been to wear braces! And that I refused to do!
So one day, thirteen years after my dramatic accident to be precise, I decided to do something!
It wasn’t easy at first! Far from it! Closed in on myself, without any confidence, my phobia was taking over! Sweating, anxiety, hot flashes, aggressive crisis, just at the idea that someone was going to interfere in my “oral cavity. ! I was obnoxious and unbalanced because I didn’t believe it!
Get treated, recover your initial faculties without pain? A pure utopia I said to myself… Until the last moment I said to myself, “I will not go! But it didn’t last… From the very first meeting everything changed!
After a CT scan and an assessment of the damage with the doctor, we scheduled major surgical interventions to rebuild my jaws: dental extractions followed by bone grafts, sinus fillings to be able to place dental implants, crowns on vital or devitalized teeth. In short, the whole thing!…
All this under sedation of course! The sessions followed one another, gently managed in the dental chair by Dr. Wargnier, the anesthesiologist
But there have been crises! Because the treatments I have undergone are so sophisticated that there are bound to be hazards… So I almost cracked!
It was hard to get started, but the hope is that we can smile again!
In the end, I went to each procedure with a smile on my face, knowing that these procedures are synonymous with progress and physical and psychological improvement.
I even “went back”, after all the heavy treatments, for the Doctor to completely correct my smile with beautiful dental veneers.
So, to sum up, a big thank you to the whole team to whom I say thank you for having understood and cured this malaise that was eating away at me.”
LUCIE
