So many people experience some level of fear when it comes to seeking dental treatment.
This means that, for some, even just making an appointment can lead to stress and anxiety. In fact, there’s a name for a real fear of the dentist or dental procedures — dentophobia. It generally begins to develop after an unpleasant dental experience but can also occur for a number of other reasons. The phobia can be harmful, particularly if it prevents you from getting the dental care you need.
But, it’s important that you don’t avoid the dentist — for the sake of your oral health, but also your overall wellbeing.
The good news is that we understand that not everyone enjoys their visit to the dentist. For this reason, we offer a range of sedation dentistry options to ensure that each of our patients has a positive experience with us. Here’s what you should know about the virtually pain-free dentistry we are able to provide…
What are the options?
We offer two main options for our anxious patients. These are nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas), as well as wand computer-controlled anaesthetic. Both of these treatments are designed to reduce nervousness and ensure that our patients feel relaxed throughout the procedure.
What is laughing gas?
Commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a substance that works as a mild sedative when it is inhaled. The substance promotes feelings of relaxation and calm and reduces anxiety. If you choose to make use of nitrous oxide, we will place a mask over your nose. The substance is completely colour and odour-free and may make you feel a little but lightheaded after inhaling. Your dentist is able to control the amount of sedation you need, so this can be customised to suit your particular needs.
The effects of nitrous oxide kick in quickly, but they wear off just as fast, so it is completely safe to use in the setting of a dental office. We mix the substance with a precise amount of oxygen, which helps to clear any remaining gas from your body fairly quickly and allows you to regain full alertness after your procedure has been completed.
What is the wand?
The wand is a specially designed computerised anaesthetic distribution method. It allows us to deliver anaesthetic to our nervous patients in a way that is virtually painless.
The system is very precise, which helps to reduce any discomfort. The accuracy with which the system works also means that only the area of treatment is numbed — you won’t experience any unnecessary numbness in the surrounding areas, such as the tongue, cheeks, and face. Both the pressure and flow rate of the anaesthetic is controlled by the computer, so you won’t feel the ‘bee sting’ sensation that is often associated with traditional injections.
How can we help?
It goes without saying that each of our patients is different. So, while our sedation options are suitable for almost all of the patients that we treat, please do get in touch with us to discuss your situation before your next appointment. This will allow us to determine the best treatment plan for your particular needs and begin to understand your particular concerns or anxiety. Part of the way we practice is getting to know our patients as individuals, meeting their unique dental needs, and developing enduring relationships in the long term.
We encourage you to read more about our pain relief options for anxious patients here.
If you have a question or concern, please contact us and we will do our best to address it for you.
Ready to make an appointment? Arrange a consultation with us here.