Many patients may avoid routine dental checkups due to dental fear or anxiety. At Premier Dental Care, we help anxious patients overcome their anxiety by providing informative education about dental concerns and necessary procedures in a comfortable and friendly environment.
We believe that empowering our patients with knowledge about their own dental health can help them feel more comfortable when visiting the dentist. Our dental care team is highly skilled, well-trained, and passionate about providing exceptional patient care.
If you suffer from dental fear or anxiety, call our Lancaster office at (661) 948-6700 or our Palmdale office at (661) 273-6565. Our team will ensure that you receive the care you need.
Treatment with Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry helps patients with dental anxiety feel at ease during dental visits. Dr. Karim Naguib will discuss your options with you prior to treatment. Your medical history and personal needs will all be considered when choosing an appropriate sedation method.
IV Sedation
IV sedation is an effective way for people to have comfortable dental treatments that they may have previously been too anxious to get. It involves a sedative administered intravenously by the dentist, allowing you to remain conscious yet relaxed throughout the procedure. We strictly control IV sedation and closely monitor our patients while under sedation.
With IV sedation, you will not experience any pain, but you will not be completely asleep. You won’t feel overwhelmed or anxious, and you may be unaware of the entire procedure. IV sedation can make dental treatments significantly less stressful and uncomfortable for people who have a fear of the dentist.
Oral-conscious Sedation
Oral-conscious sedation is a type of sedation that uses medication to help you relax during your dental appointment. During this type of sedation, you will remain awake and able to communicate, but you will feel very relaxed and possibly drowsy. It can help our patients with dental anxiety to manage their pain and fears so that they can calmly and comfortably progress through their dental procedures.
Oral sedation is administered in pill form. With oral-conscious sedation, you take the medication prior to the procedure, so you will be very relaxed when you arrive at the office. The medication may also cause memory loss of the dental experience during the procedure, which is an added benefit for someone with dental anxiety.
Patients with dental fear or anxiety can feel relief with this pain-free dental treatment. Sedation dental treatment may also cause anterograde amnesia, which means the patient will not remember the surgery. In addition, IV and oral sedation treatments allow dentists to work faster than they would otherwise.
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The Struggles of Dental Anxiety
We recognize that dental anxiety occurs on a spectrum. While you may only be triggered by certain dental tools or sounds, another patient may struggle to even walk into the office. When you have severe dental fear, you may put off regular dental care.
This makes you more likely to develop more severe dental problems. They’re more expensive to treat, and they’re more intensive, triggering worse dental anxiety.
With sedation dentistry and patient education, we can help you feel comfortable coming in for regular care. It’s important to maintain your oral health to avoid more intensive restorative dentistry procedures.
Sedation also helps if you need those intensive procedures. It can help keep you relaxed and calm, allowing multiple dental procedures to be performed in a single visit.
Dental Anxiety FAQs
Why am I so nervous about the dentist?
In many cases, people are afraid of the dentist because of previous bad experiences. You may have had a procedure go badly, or the dentist’s attitude may have been unbecoming. There are also certain triggers in a dental office that may make you more nervous, such as the sound of a dental drill.
Should I tell my dentist I have anxiety?
Absolutely. The dentist will know to expect some hesitance from you and know how to handle your reactions. We can also offer sedation options for more severe cases of anxiety to make sure you can get the dental care you need.
Is a fear of the dentist common?
Yes, up to 20% of Americans suffer from some sort of dental anxiety. More and more dental offices are offering services like sedation to ensure even their most anxious customers are comfortable.
How do I prepare for the dentist if I have dental anxiety?
The best way to prepare for a dentist appointment if you suffer from dental anxiety is to practice deep breathing and stay hydrated in the days leading up to and on the day of your appointment. If you suffer from dental anxiety, we can help! Please do not hesitate to communicate any anxiety to us, so that we can do our best to make your appointment go as smoothly as possible and be as comfortable as possible.
How do you breathe during dental work?
Breathing in and out through your nose to a count of three is one of the simplest breathing techniques to calm nerves at the dentist. Short, rapid breathing patterns can cause hyperventilation, so it is important to take deep, slow breaths instead.
Can you request to be put to sleep at the dentist?
It is very common for dental procedures to be completed while you are sedated. This ensures that the patient feels no pain and does not remember the procedure. Call our office today to schedule an appointment, and we can go over all your sedation dentistry options in detail.
Request a Dental Exam Today
Is your dental fear or anxiety keeping you from maintaining your oral health? Call our Lancaster office at (661) 948-6700 or schedule a dental visit to our Lancaster dentist office online. You can call our Palmdale office at (661) 273-6565 or schedule a visit to our Palmdale dentist office online.
Dr. Naguib and his team are dedicated to providing comfortable care. We foster a warm, friendly environment in our offices to ensure that patients of all ages feel at ease when visiting the dentist.
