I think it is fairly safe to say that there is nobody who truly enjoys going to the dentist. At…read morebest it's dull and uncomfortable. And at worst.... well, unfortunately my experience with dentists in general has been at the "worst". Thanks to a shattered growth palate, I've really been to hell and back with my teeth, with braces twice, surgeries, and a palate expander that I'm pretty sure was plucked out of a medieval torture chamber. And on top of that, until moving to Columbus, I had never left an orthodontic or dental appointment that didn't leave my mouth feeling as though I had been chewing on razor blades. ...I thought it was normal. But no, it turns out that not every tooth specialist is Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors.
I first heard about TLC dental at work. There were a couple of people there who swore by Dr. Yim, saying they had never had a less painful experience. Of course I took what was said with a grain of salt. I'd heard the same things about my previous dentists after all. But hey, there were late night and weekend hours which make things super convenient for a work-a-holic like myself. So, I gave him a call.
I admit, the first appointments weren't much fun. Despite being a regular flosser and brushing at least once a day, I had managed to rack up a few cavities that needed work. Dr. Yim also took one look at my molars and said that I needed a bite guard to help with my tooth grinding. So, (unwisely) gritting my teeth, I waited for the worst monetarily and physically.
Well, the worst was waiting for pain that never came. I confess to having something like a freak out during the work on the cavities... precisely because it didn't hurt. At most I felt a small pinch from the anesthetic. The anticipation was dreadful and I admit I wasn't a very cooperative patient. However, Dr. Yim was patient and sympathetic, saying that a lot of people are afraid of dental work. Really great chairside manner, never once losing his patience. I also suffered almost no pain over the next few days, a nice change from past experiences.
Molding the bite guard was no big deal at all, but with it and the cavities, money was a bit of a concern. However, it turned out that prices are very reasonable, and the office is willing to work with patients and their insurance to ensure that they can get the care they need.
Since the initial visits, I've been back a few times for routine appointments and minor issues, and have been continually impressed. The office is always happy to work with patients to find an appointment time suitable for them. As mentioned, there are late night and Saturday hours, but Dr. Yim seems pretty flexible in cases of emergency. They also will call you a day or so in advance to remind you of appointments.
The typical check up begins with the hygienist taking x-rays, apologizing repeatedly for causing any discomfort (which is usually very minor, if there is any at all). From there, Dr. Yim looks around a bit, checking for cavities and problems with the dental hook. This was always the worst part of previous dental appointments, the part that always left me unable to eat anything but soft food for a night. However, though I still do tense up in anticipation, I have yet for it to actually hurt at TLC. The doctor is very careful with the tool, and mostly uses it to check for cavities, not for cleaning or scraping. He instead uses a sonic brush to clean the teeth...and may I say the device does a great job? Due to the glue used in one of my sets of braces, my teeth have been left very porous. This combined with my addiction to tea and coffee leaves them rather yellow, but they always look nice following my cleaning.
That is pretty much it, unless there is a problem. No pain, no discomfort...and the wallet doesn't hurt too bad either.
Since starting at TLC, I've not had any major problems - no cavities, no cracked teeth, no pain. I also am gradually overcoming my hatred and terror of all things dental.
TLC was recommended to me by patients, and so I now recommend it to you. Going to the dentist is never fun, but it doesn't have to be torturous either