If you suffer from dental anxiety, we don’t want you to feel alone or embarrassed. In fact, many Americans have at least a mild form of dental anxiety. For some, though, it can be so bad that even thinking about going to the dentist causes them to feel anxious or even panicked. If that’s you, we want you to know we’re here for you. We have a variety of tools we use to help people just like you.
Sedation dentistry is offered at all four of our locations.
Treating Dental Anxiety Through Sensitive Care
Some dentists lose patience when their patients are feeling anxious. They try to rush through the appointment. That’s not what will happen at Angel Dental Care. We take our time. We’ll explain the procedure. Sit with you. Talk with you to help relax you. We’ll even take breaks if you need. But, what if that isn’t enough? For our more anxious patients, we offer two different sedation options.
Dental Sedation Options for Anxious Patients
- Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is a gas that you’ll breathe in through a nose piece. Commonly referred to as laughing gas, nitrous oxide relaxes you throughout the procedure, giving you a feeling of pleasure. Patients who’ve had trouble getting numb in the past with a local anesthetic often find the use of nitrous oxide solves this problem. It relaxes you and strengthens the anesthetic so that you’re completely numb, giving you a pain-free appointment.
One of the biggest benefits of nitrous oxide is how quickly it can clear. Once the procedure is over, we’ll take the nitrous out of the mix giving you more oxygen. This will clear your head and get you functioning normally within about two minutes. You’ll even be able to drive or go to work if you’d like.
- Ativan
For those with more severe anxiety, we can prescribe Ativan. This is similar to Xanax and functions as an anti-anxiety drug. It’s stronger than nitrous and doesn’t leave your system as quickly. You’ll need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
We’ve sometimes found that anxious patients have put off going to the dentist for many years. If that’s you, we understand. You won’t be lectured or judged when you come in. We’re just glad you were willing to take the huge step of coming in to see us. We’ll make you feel comfortable and welcome.
If you’re looking for a dentist who works with fearful patients, feel free to call our office to schedule an appointment or click here to request an appointment online.