I’ve served as a dentist in Lakewood Colorado for more than three decades. In that time, I’ve seen almost every kind of dental patient or dental problem. I’ve treatment patients of all ages and dental complications. I learn something new every week about my patients, and I have taken hundreds of hours in continuing education.
But one area of dentistry that has always interested me is dental fear. No, not causing dental fear, but rather how to help those fearful patients. After all, a huge chunk of the country — about 20 percent of Americans — struggle with some level of dental anxiety or fear. Odds are that you’ve been there. Either you were nervous about a particular visit or procedure, or maybe you’ve had a stronger fear that has kept you from the dentist altogether. Today I want to examine the cause of dental fear and give you some information about what can cure your dental fear.
What Causes Dental Fear?
Dental fear reaches far and wide. A study by the Dental Research Journal found that age and education play no role in dental fear. The study also found that women are more likely to struggle with dental fear than men. Here are a few things that can frighten people about the dentist.
- Fear of pain or needles
- Fear of embarrassment
- Fear of the unknown
- Bad dental experiences in the past
At Hampden Dental Care, you’ll find that we use the most modern tools and are expects at rendering pain-free dental care. You should know that our dental staff is gentle and trained to handle almost any dental problem. Our hygienists are trained to spot the the earliest signs of dental problems, and we focus on prevention with every patient.
The Cure to Your Dental Problems
Most dentists can identify your fears, but they don’t have the training or procedures to ease your fear. They simply ask you to “try to relax.” I know plenty of dentists who mean well, but it’s hard to break down that wall of dental fear. That’s why our office offers something called sedation dentistry. Sedation is perfectly safe and helps you take the edge off while you’re in the dental chair. Here is what we offer:
Nitrous oxide — You know this better by laughing gas. This is a gas that is rendered through a small nasal mask. Nitrous works almost instantly and wears off quickly. You can drive yourself to the office and leave without any help. This tool is great for patients who have a mild fear or need to take the edge off before a dental treatment.
Oral conscious sedation — This form of sedation is rendered in pill form. It’s slightly stronger than nitrous oxide and lasts much longer. You take the medication before your visit. You’ll then have a friend or family member drive you to your appointment. By the time you walk through our doors, you’ll find yourself in a state of total relaxation.
IV sedation — Nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation are not uncommon, but IV sedation is rare for most dentists. It takes a significant amount of training and precision. What’s great about IV sedation is that it works instantly. This way we can easily adjust the levels. IV sedation is also ideal for patients who want have to undergo more elaborate dental problems, like dental implants. The best part of you is that, with the help of IV sedation, you’ll have little memory of the treatment and don’t have to face the sights, sounds, or smells or the procedure.
Our Lakewood dental office caters to cowards — as they say. We are here to help you achieve a better smile and healthier mouth. In many cases, patients try our sedation dentistry. Then, after a few visits, they become more comfortable with us and NEVER need the sedation again.
If you struggle with dental fear, you still deserve great dental care. You can call us today at 303-647-1907 to book an appointment or speak with us about treating your dental anxiety.