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Relaxation Dentistry
Fear. Anxiety. These
two terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinct
difference. Fear tends to be a shot-lived phenomenon
that disappears once the threat of danger passes. Anxiety,
however, is more of an internal emotional response, one learned
from either personal or negative experiences or second hand
via the recounts of others. Both of these ignite your
sympathetic nervous system, the “Fight or Flight”
control center, once the threat presents or anticipation becomes
overwhelming. Presto. You feel like a mess. You
become mad at yourself for the way you are feeling and the
inability to control it. Do any of these sound familiar:
sweaty hands, racing heart, feeling as if you’ll hyperventilate,
profuse perspiration, jitters, canceling appointments or never
scheduling them because it is easier to suffer with the pain
than face the anxiety. Whether the threat is real (fear)
or perceived or anticipated (anxiety) does not make a difference,
you will soon learn that we will treat you with the same
compassion and care.
If you’re still with me,
you identify with these descriptions and are looking for someone
who will give your fears and anxieties the same diagnostic
attention as your cavities. Exhale, relax, you have
come to the right place. We want to be your “light
at the end of the tunnel” of dental anxiety. You
see, here at Awbrey Dental Group we believe in treating you
first, your mouth second.
Nitrous Oxide or “Laughing
Gas” is one of the safest forms of sedation available
and can take the anxiety out of most routine dental procedures
to include cleanings. Non-allergenic and non-irritating,
most people feel the onset within minutes and theses effects
are completely reversed within about 5 minutes of gas termination.
This complete reversal allows you to safely drive home
or go to work right after your appointment.
Almost anyone can have nitrous
oxide treatment. We can vary the depth of sedation depending
on your level of anxiety. The gas also tends to reduce
gag reflexes and saliva flow. Most importantly, you
will bask in a feeling of relaxation as we care for you.
The gas is administered through
a simple rubber hood that rests on your nose providing a
feeling of numbness, security, and warmth. If you are known
to be claustrophobic, this might not be the treatment of choice
for you. At or near the end of your treatment, we will
provide you with 100% oxygen so you will feel completely normal
within 5-10 minutes. At that point, you are 100% ready
to independently carry on your life.
Oral Sedation or Sleep Dentistry
utilizes the oldest of all routes of drug administration,
the mouth. Safe, economical, and convenient, oral sedation
when properly used can deliver a deeper relaxation state than
nitrous and provide some amnesic effects. If you suffer
more from the thought of coming in than actually being here,
this may be the treatment of choice for you. After initial
consultation to determine if you need anxiety relief or just
need to complete extensive treatment in one visit, we will
take baseline vital signs and write a prescription. Halcion
(Triazolam) will be taken about an hour before your dental
appointment, so you will be relaxed before you start. Although
awake, you will feel relaxed and drowsy. During your
treatment, we will monitor your pulse, oxygen saturation rate,
and your blood pressure with state of the art patient monitors.
We never leave your side. The same medication can also
be given to you the night before to help you sleep.
IV or Deep Sedation. We
work in conjunction with anesthesiologists at St. Charles
Medical Center for patients who desire to be completely disconnected
between the dental care that is being provided and their
level of consciousness. We reserve this level of sedation
only for patients who cannot achieve the level of sedation
they desire with nitrous oxide or Halcion or for those patients
with extreme anxiety.
So, don’t let anxiety prevent
you from having the confident smile or healthy mouth you have
always wanted. Take time to come in and meet us so we
can decide together what is best for you. If you would
like a first appointment to simply talk about your anxieties
and fears, we will do that and no dental exam would be done.
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