Dental phobia or dentophobia is defined as a general fear of dentists and of dental procedures. It is actually a very common fear that often involves fears that are more defined, specific, and individual. One very specific fear is the fear of being powerless while in the dentist chair.

The phobia effects those people whose personality traits do not permit them to place themselves totally in control of other people, in this case, the dentist. Individuals who are used to controlling their own environments and deciding on their own can often become very difficult patients. The dentist treating these patients has to communicate clearly and react quickly to these patients requests.

For these patients, a controlling personality is just a part of the problem. They are actually nervous and are covering their fears by making outrageous demands on their dentists.

This situation often results in personality clashes between dentists and patients. It is exacerbated when the treating dentist fails to understand that the behavior is because of a phobia. With the breakdown of the patient-dentist relationship, the patient often refuses to continue with the treatment, a condition that is ultimately detrimental to the patient’s health.

Unfortunately, the longer the dental treatment is postponed, the more urgent it becomes. This actually heightens the fear, makes the symptoms more visible, and puts additional strain on an already tenuous relationship.

People with this type of phobia have a tendency to be more argumentative, more demanding, and more challenging than regular patients. This is why some are often tagged as difficult or controlling when, in fact, it is really a coping mechanism. These patients don’t exhibit the classic symptoms of fear, but combined with increased heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and tension, they become increasingly agitated.
In this day and age, it is very fortunate that dentistry has progressed so that efforts are being done to address the problem of this kind of patients. One of the most important approaches being implemented has nothing to do with the patient but with the dentist. Dentists, nowadays, are being trained to have the skills, assurance, and empathy to be able to treat these patients. Dental schools have begun offering courses in behavioral sciences and have put a much greater emphasis on chair-side manner. For a lot of patients, the solution to their fears is simply finding a dentist with the right skills, personality, and technique.
A well-run dental practice will provide an atmosphere that is calming. The waiting times will be short, and the reception will be most welcoming.

Sedation is another option that is viable in some cases. There are two types. One in which the patient is completely unaware of what is happening and another where the patient is sedated just enough so that they can relax and allow the procedure to be completed. A number of psychological approaches and techniques have also helped other people cope. These include hypnosis, systematic desensitization, deep breathing, visualization and guided imagery, positive affirmations, and reward systems. There are some therapists specializing in phobias and anxiety disorders who work in tandem with phobic-friendly dentists.

Eliminate the fear of being powerless during a Dental Procedure.

Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for Dental Fear and Anxiety is an audio download that can help you reduce and even overcome your fear of needles and dentistry. This audio download can help condition your mind for your upcoming dental visit and procedure. If you follow the guidelines as directed by Dr. DeMarco, you will be better prepared, more relaxed and you will be surprised at how well you recover when you take fear and anxiety out of the procedure.

You don’t have to be scared to visit the dentist. Visit our website, read our blog articles about Fear and Anxiety and sample our wonderful audio product, “Dental Phobia – A Guided Meditation for dental fear and anxiety.”

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 at 6:42 am and is filed under Dental Fear and Anxiety, Dental Phobia, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “The Fear of Being Powerless during a Dental Procedure”

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