Odontophobia or “fear of the dentist” continues to be one of the main reasons why patients do not go to the dentist. This extreme fear suffered by the patient can affect his or her oral health, since he or she postpones the visit to the dentist excessively. In other words, odontophobia is the irrational fear or state of persistent anxiety that a person may suffer when faced with the situation of attending a dental appointment for dental treatment.
Fear of the dentist may be due to the patient’s previous bad experiences, lack of knowledge or lack of information about dental treatment. Odontophobia can be found in adult patients as well as in children.
It is very important to discuss alternatives with patients suffering from odontophobia. Explain to them how they can be helped, and the different techniques and issues that need to be done to overcome fear of the dentist. At Clínica Pronova, we offer a wide range of possibilities to control anxiety during therapies to solve oral and dental problems.