The team at Valley Dental Practice have many years’ experience treating nervous patients so will also do everything in their power to ensure that your visit is as calm and stress free as possible.
With this in mind, they have come up with some top tips to help keep anxiety at bay:
- Pick an appointment time early in the morning so you have less time to dwell on it.
- The first appointment will simply be a check-up so don’t worry that you’ll be launched into having a filling, the drill or a needle. See this first visit as your chance to get to know the dentist.
- Bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment. The dentist won’t mind if they accompany you throughout the check-up or treatment.
- Agree a sign with the dentist to signal that you need a break and want them to stop. It can be as simple as pointing your finger, and will help you feel more in control.
- If you think it will help, start gradually with a clean and polish then work up to more extensive treatment once you’ve built up trust and rapport with your dentist.
If you suffer from a high level of dental anxiety we may be able to offer dental sedation.
Dental sedation is used to help nervous patients relax while undergoing dental treatment. The solution of either midazolam or diazepam is administered by the dentist, through an injection given in your arm or back of your arm.
Prior to treatment
Prior to any treatment you will attend for a consultation appointment with the dentist. They will take a full medical history to ensure that you are suitable for the sedation procedure. It is important that you tell the dentist any medications that you are taking and any health problems you may have to ensure that they can treat you safely and effectively.
During treatment
During treatment the dentist and their team will monitor you closely. You will not become unconscious; you will still be able to cooperate with the dentist but you will feel drowsy and will not be aware of the treatment going on. One of the common side effects of dental sedation is amnesia, so you may feel treatment only lasted a matter of minutes and will remember little of what has gone on, no matter how long you are in the dental chair.
Dental sedation does not provide you with a painkiller so you will still need a local anaesthetic in the area to be treated but this won’t be done until the sedation has taken affect, so you will not be aware of it.
Following treatment
It will take some time for the medication to leave your system. During this time, you will be monitored in the surgery. You will normally be allowed to go home within an hour of treatment, but you will need someone to be with you. You will not be able to drive or return to work for the rest of the day following treatment.
If you have any questions or would like more information on sedation call Valley Dental Practice today on 01255 220322 to book an appointment with our team.
