After my first visit to a dentist, recommended by my family, almost twenty years ago, I stayed away from dentists until recently. That dentist fixed a few small problems, but in the process created new problems that I had to live with for many years! But this year when I noticed large cavities in my teeth that I could no longer ignore, I reluctantly went to the same dentist. This time the advice was that I needed to have three root canals!!! I was given a prescription for a week’s course of antibiotics to take prior to the first session, which I was told was absolutely necessary.
But this time I was older and wiser. I was reluctant to take antibiotics that would destroy my intestinal flora and I wasn’t conviced that I really needed three root canals. I decided to take a second opinion and looked up dentists in Bangalore on the internet. It took me less than an hour to zero in on Dr. Shailaja’s clinic. It was her write up on Practo that impressed me. Though a few people recommended other dentists known to them I decided to trust my own judgement and go to her without any references.
From the very first I knew I was in expert hands. She listened patiently to me, advised me clearly about the different options I had and the pros and cons of each, so I could make an informed choice. I needed to have only one root canal; the other two cavities she treated with simple fillings! She did not ask me to take any antibiotics prior to the root canal, all the treatments were painless, and though she prescribed a pain killer for me to take after the root canal treatment, I didn’t even need to take it because the pain was negligible! The cost of the treatment and the tooth crown was significantly lower than the price quoted by the other dentist. What was even better was that she attempted to correct the problem that I had been living with for years – an improper bite – by making a working model of my teeth and studying it. She advised me of my options – orthodontics to correct my bite or wearing an occlusal splint at night to ease the problem and prevent further damage to my teeth. I learnt that she is one of few dentists who is able to make such an occlusal splint.
I am so thankful I trusted my own judgement and went to Dr. Shailaja. It feels like I have got all my teeth back. The new crowns fit so snugly that there are no gaps between teeth for food to collect, which was my major complaint. One of the other things I loved about her clinic was that I never needed to wait in the waiting room because my appointments always began exactly on time! I highly highly recommend Dr. Shailaja to anyone who is afraid to go to a dentist.