If you've neglected going to the dentist for quite some time, or if brushing and flossing your teeth regularly isn't your strong point, then you may require some pretty extensive dental work when you actually do go into the dentist, such as fillings, root canals, crowns, etc. This work will likely help your mouth to both feel and look a whole lot better. However, because the dental work is so extensive, it is important that you are prepared for it and go about doing it in the right way. Here are three tips for getting extensive dental work done.

Chunk it Up into Shorter Appointments

Rather than getting all of your dental work done at one time, you should consider breaking it up into shorter appointments. By doing this, you decrease the amount of time you are in the dental office per visit, which is important if you have other responsibilities and obligations that you need to get back to. This is also good because it reduces the amount of pain and soreness that you feel in your mouth after the appointment.

Stick to One Side of Your Mouth Per Appointment

When it comes to your extensive dental work, it is a good idea to stick to one side of your mouth. This means that you can either do the upper and lower on one side of your mouth, or you can break it up even more and just do the lower portion during one visit. This is important because your mouth is generally numbed when you get dental work done. If you were to have your entire mouth numbed during the procedure, this would likely be very uncomfortable for you and would leave your mouth essentially useless.

Use the Mouthpiece

Holding your mouth open for a long period of time can be difficult. Your jaw may become tired and you may begin closing your mouth without even noticing it. If you need to have your mouth open super wide in order to get your dental work done, then a mouthpiece should likely be inserted in your mouth. This piece holds your mouth open wide for you and makes it so that you can relax the muscles of your mouth. This allows you to simply focus on breathing through your nose.

When going to the dentist for extensive dental work, it is a good idea to chunk it up into shorter appointments, stick to one side of your mouth during treatment, and use the mouthpiece to help hold your mouth open wide. To learn more about extensive dental work, contact clinics like Plymouth Valley Dental Group.