Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/728082
26 Whenever you are experiencing something that causes you to feel scared or anxious or nervous, they say that you should always try to seek out a certain level of comfort. Of course, that is often easier said than done. Often, that can take a really long time. For Cindy Guerra, unfortunately, overcoming her fear of going to the dentist took her longer than she wanted. After cancelling appointments with her previous dentists and searching for decades to find one who truly made her feel comfortable, she can finally say that she has not only completely conquered her fear of going to the dentist, but also that she found one who was able to give her the "Hollywood smile" that she has been looking for her entire life. And she owes it all to Dr. Stephen Matarazzo at the Quincy Smile Center. "I've always been petrified of dentists," said Guerra. "I had a really bad experience when I was a kid. I always wanted nice teeth, but I never had nice teeth. I knew that I had to overcome my fear to get what I wanted, so I went to various dentists, but it just wasn't happening. I cancelled so many times over even a simple appointment. I couldn't sleep. I would cry on my way to the appointment, and then still had to cancel. I had to go to my primary care physician just to ask for something to calm me down before I went to my appointment. But then, I finally found Dr. Matarazzo and his staff, and I can now go into all of my appointments and I'm laughing and smiling. It's a miracle!" Guerra met Dr. Matarazzo and his wonderful staff approximately three years ago. While going to all sorts of different dentists, including general dentists, cosmetic dentists, periodontists and orthodontists, it just was not getting any easier for her to overcome her level of fear and anxiety. She knew that she still wanted to achieve that "Hollywood smile," but the process that would lead her to that point was just not happening. "My whole family has bad teeth," said Guerra. "I have always had great hygiene, but so many people in my family all either have dentures or need dentures. It must just be genetics. We all have bad teeth. But, starting around the age of 18, I really started to work on my teeth and started trying to find a dentist that I really liked. I started with my bad teeth and would have my molars capped. But then, I would get to a certain point and it would hurt or it was just too scary for me, and I would stop for years. Then, I would try it again in my 20s and again in my 30s and 40s. But it was always the same thing. Now, I'm 52 and my mouth is completely done and I owe it all to Dr. Matarazzo." After years of frustration, Guerra took a leap of faith and found Dr. Matarazzo and his staff. She needed someone who she could trust and make her feel comfortable while she was in the office. Sadly, none of her previous dentists had ever made her feel that way. She even saw some who she referred to as "nasty and pushy," which are certainly not adjectives that you want to use when you are talking about your dentist. Even after being given valium and/or gas just to get through the appointment, Guerra said that her "mind would override everything," and that she was still having panic attacks in the waiting room. She said that it was like a "horror show." by Rob Kelley Dr. Stephen Matarazzo Helped Cindy Guerra Overcome Her Fear of Going to the Dentist and Gave Her That 'Hollywood Smile'