Pain-Free Dentistry Alleviates Patients' Fears

    /24-7PressRelease/ - March 09, 2008 - Patient comfort and care are top priorities for a pain-free sedation dentist. They recognize that dental anxiety or discomfort can be associated with some dentistry procedures. Fortunately, a variety of dental procedures using dental anesthetics are available to relieve both anxiety and discomfort.

It is important that a patient tell his/her dentist if they have any dental anxiety related to their planned dental treatment. Keeping their fears hidden can only lead to a much more unpleasant experience for the patient and, in more extreme circumstances, may even increase the likelihood of certain emergencies occurring, such as fainting.

Once the sedation dentist is aware of the patient's dental anxiety and fears, there are many ways in which they may be addressed. In some cases, simply discussing the planned procedure is all that is necessary to alleviate the patient's dental anxiety. But in other cases, more drastic measures are necessary.

Local Anesthetic
This is the most frequently used type of dental anesthetic for sedation dentistry procedures. Although often referred to as "Novocain," this once popular painkilling drug has actually been replaced by more effective anesthetics such as Lidocaine for a pain free dental care treatment.

Conscious Sedation Dentistry
Patients seeking pain-free dentistry can consult with their dentists to choose anti-anxiety agents either administered by mouth, inhalation or injection. Nitrous oxide, often referred to as "laughing gas," helps to ease patient anxiety. The gas is inhaled by patients, inducing relaxation, so they can experience dental procedures with less stress.

Deep Sedation
This may be required for complex procedures or for dental patients with special needs. With the administration of general anesthesia, the patient is unconscious; with deep sedation dentistry or sleep dentistry, dental patients are deeply relaxed and not fully aware of their surroundings during their dental treatment.

Prior to treatment, your sedation dentist or sleep dentist will need to know a few things regarding your health history such as:
• Allergies
• Your current health condition
• Any medications you may be taking

Some medicines may interfere with the efficiency of an anesthetic requiring an adjustment in your medication schedule. Your health history is very important information for the dentist. During the consultation, you can ask questions about any dental procedures that may be of concern during pain-free dentistry.

To learn more about how sedation dentistry can make your dental visits more pleasant, please contact San Francisco cosmetic and sedation dentist, Dr. Josh Bernstein, today to schedule your initial appointment.

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