We understand that “visiting the dentist” can make some people a little anxious or fearful when the day of their dental appointment arrives. That’s why we focus on comfort dentistry at Gilbert Dental. We want to make sure that every visit with us is a positive, pain-free dental experience. We’ll listen to your needs and develop a customized approach to your dental care that caters to your specific needs. And that sometimes means providing you with even a bit more tender loving care.
The most two common forms of sedation dentistry we offer are oral sedation, and laughing gas. While making dentistry much easier for you, it is important to understand that they are not pain-killers, and regular numbing medications still prove essential.
However, if you’re anxious about your dental care, these sedation options can help make every part of your dental treatment more enjoyable.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas) – When you’re feeling a little anxious during your dental care, this milder form of sedation is a good option for most dental procedures. The gas flows through a comfortably fitting mask that rests over your nose. Laughing Gas often creates a pleasant feeling of euphoria that can make ordinary things seem funnier. We can customize sedation for each patient, which takes effect within minutes. Patients recover more quickly with this option, and are usually likely to drive home after their appointment.
Oral Sedation – This option offers a deeper level of sedation than laughing gas, and is good for patients who need an additional level of comfort. Unlike Nitrous Oxide, it requires a prescription from Dr. Gilbert, who will prescribe a medication for you to take before your appointment to reduce anxiety. There are different types medications for oral sedation, and Dr. Gilbert will discuss your particular needs to determine which will work best for you. This option will require that you bring someone with you to your appointment who can drive you back home and keep an eye on you until you’ve recovered from the sedation.
Dental fear is very real, and it can get in the way of a patient making routine visits to the dentist. Millions of people suffer from some level of dental anxiety. And when this fear prevents patients from getting dental care, it puts them at a great risk for tooth decay, gum disease, and pre-mature tooth loss. Ultimately, these will also affect their overall health.
If you suffer from dental anxiety, please let us know at the time you make your appointment with us. We’ll work with you to create a plan to help reduce your anxiety, so that your visits with us are always positive, comfortable and painless. We’ve helped provide comforting dental care to hundreds of patients throughout the Bellevue and Seattle areas, who have suffered from some form of dental anxiety. And many of these patients now actually look forward to visiting the dentist.
