Sedation Dentistry
Wednesday, January 21st, 2009Despite the publics increasing attention to improving their oral health, the thought of going to the dentist still evokes overwhelming fear in many patients. In some people, the fear of going to the dentist is so great that they will put up with discomfort and even severe pain, rather than seek dental care. Some will only seek dental help when the pain becomes intolerable. They then choose to have their teeth amputated rather than fixed.
Why is it that dental fear is so prevalent? Nearly everyone knows a person who has an exaggerated negative dental experience. Of course the entertainment industry has not helped quell the fears of dental patients and even Blue Cross the dental insurance company uses a subtle reference to dental fear to help keep you from using your dental benefits.
Almost every dentist has heard the story of the “old horse doctor who put his knee on my chest to get the tooth out!” Yet no dentist I know of has ever had to put a knee on a chest to extract a tooth, nor would this ever help get a tooth out.
To some dental fear may arise from the belief that the procedure will be uncomfortable, while others fear the feeling that they have no control over the situation. Some people associate the sterile smell of a dental office with medical facilities that may trigger associative fears.
In the early years of dentistry, good pain management was unavailable and there was pain associated with dental procedures. As science progressed, the effectiveness of dental procedures and local anesthetics became better and better resulting in more comfortable dental appointments. Today, it is possible to perform dental procedures in a totally comfortable manner. Excellent topical anesthetics and computer controlled local anesthetic systems allow for comfortable delivery of local anesthetics with profound effects.
In the modern caring dental office, the dentist must make every effort to make the patient feel relaxed. It is important to establish a relationship with your dentist prior to having your work done. You should feel comfortable with your treatment plan and be confident that this is the right treatment for you. You should also have a signal worked out with your dentist to ensure that he or she will stop the procedure should you feel any discomfort or simply need a break.
Should you need a little more that TLC to help you with your dental appointment, there are other avenues that could be explored. Today, many dental practices are marketing “Sleep Dentistry” to aid nervous patients. Sleep dentistry is simply the utilization of medications to help a patient through the appointment. A medication such as Atavan, or Halcion produce a sleeplike state but still allows enough alertness for response to verbal or physical commands. In some patients, there is also an amnesic effect that results in little or no memory of the appointment. The utilization of these medications has allowed for even very nervous dental patients to have great dental appointments.
If you have a fear of dentists and would like to find more information about techniques to help you get the dental care you desire, contact Dr. Saby.
