Dentist Phobia

I have to tell you that I am absolutely one hundred percent IN LOVE with my dentist. If we both were not married, I think I might go after him. I have so much respect for the man, it is amazing that I can feel this way about a dentist. HOWEVER, this does not stop me from crying when I walk in the door. Today, Pat and I went to the dentist to have a cosmetic consultation. Since the dentist, hygienists, assistants, office manager, and accountant all know my HATRED of my teeth, they suggested that they let the dentist take some pictures and models, and then Pat and I could come back to talk to him about what the options were. I couldn't even let him take the pictures without crying, and I made him promise that I would never see these pictures. ***Once, when I was in about eighth grade, a dentist took pictures and pulled them up on a screen for me, proceeded to tell me all that was wrong-as if I didn't know, and I haven't been able to look at a picture of my teeth ever since, and I have never really even discussed my options for fear that I would have to look at the pictures.***

When I arrived today, the dentist made some jokes about how I didn't have to look at the pictures, but could he just show Pat? UUUUUMMMMMM, that was the trigger, tears started flowing, I seriously cannot take a joke about this. He was kidding, and he promised that he would do his complete presentation and analysis without anyone in the room ever seeing the pictures. I think at this point Pat was dumbfounded. In the ten years we have been together, he has never been to a dental office with me. AND LET ME TELL YOU, it is not a pretty sight. He was just staring at me, absolutely supportive, don't get me wrong, but just like, "The dentist is not even touching you, why are you crying!?" So, we continued on with the consultation, my teeth are amazing, I have an amazing bite, they are super straight, good gums, so on and so forth, they just look crappy. The dentist told Pat that even if they don't think my teeth look bad, this is an extremely emotional issue for me, and that the tears aren't a fear thing. The dentist told us that he has no doubt that if he did the procedure for me that he would have clients forever because I would be so happy. BUT, here is the part where I think both Pat and I fell head over heels, when I said to the dentist that I didn't think I could do the top without doing the bottom, and he said, "Do I want to take your money? YES! Will I do the bottom for you? ABSOLUTELY! However, if you do the top teeth, you will be amazed at how much better you will feel, and there are other, CHEAPER routes we could take with your bottom teeth before we go the veneer route." He had analyzed the pictures, my bottom teeth don't show when I smile, they are really not an issue. He understands that they are an issue for me, but monetarily, they should not really be discussed at this time. He answered all of our questions. Getting veneers is a REALLY involved process, like WEEKS! For two days you have on temporaries, then you go back in and discuss what you like and dislike, then for three weeks, you wear some more temporaries, go back in and discussed what you like and dislike, and finally after like a month of analyzing, you actually get the veneers put on. Good news is that he agreed to give me the Brophy discount on my veneers as well-just because my mom works there! YAY!

Do I think I will do it? I don't know! I left there with a sick feeling in my stomach knowing how much it was, and how this is not the right economy to be committing such a extravagant act, but at the same time, I think about how much better I think that I would feel, I just don't know. I don't have to decide today, maybe we will win the lottery, and then I can do extravagant things. But, just talking to him and knowing that there is hope for my bad teeth makes me a little happier. It is really bad how bad I want this!!!!

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