Overcoming Dental Anxiety

Fear of the dentist or dental phobia affects more than 25% of patients who need a dentist. Many patients have painful memories of going to the dentist when they were a child or develop dental anxiety as they get older. The thought of sitting down in a dental chair causes palpitations and sweaty palms.

Here at Anxiety Free Dental we do not judge you but will help you through this so you are out of pain, free of infection and chewing normally. You have many options for dealing with fear of the dentist. Different techniques work for different patients so I offer everything from TLC to I.V. sedation.

Modern dentistry has come a long way with very small needles and new potent local anesthetics provide painless injections. Another simple option would be to relax you before the injection with Nitrous Oxide, otherwise know as Sweet Air or laughing gas. Nitrous Oxide relaxes and calms you down. It comes on quickly and wears off quickly. It is not metabolized by the body and within minutes is completely gone and you can drive yourself home or return to work.

Oral sedation is a very safe way to relax even more than with Nitrous Oxide. Oral sedation can be combined with Nitrous Oxide to potentiate the medication to help you overcome the fear of the dentist. Very few patients remember the dental visit and the appointments seem to go by much faster. I’m using more and more oral Versed (Midazolam) which a short acting Valium type drug for shorter appointments and cleanings. For longer appointments a combination of Valium and Halcion (Triazolam) really relaxes the patient.

For those who are very afraid of the dentist I offer Intravenous Sedation as well.