People don’t like going to the dentist. This is something we hear all day! As a matter of fact, Dr. Jain gets anxious when getting a cleaning. We have developed our systems and procedures to make each and every experience as comfortable for our patients as possible.
We use many strategies to make your experience as comfortable as possible. Here are some of the things we do to keep you comfortable:
- Every patient is offered a topical anesthetic for the gums when getting a cleaning or injection
- Blankets to keep you warm, comfy, and secure
- Hand moisturizer treatments so you feel pampered
- Noise-canceling headphones to reduce the annoying dental sounds
- Scented candles, so no “dental office smell.”
Sometimes, this is not enough! We also offer options to make your time in the chair go by much faster.
Nitrous Oxide – Laughing gas will make you feel relaxed and experience less anxiety. Some have mentioned it’s like having a few glasses of wine. The nitrous gas is delivered through a nasal hood with a combination of oxygen. This incredibly safe option makes dentistry tolerable and comfortable. Dr. Jain uses nitrous oxide for his cleanings! We routinely use it for children and adults. It is safe to drive home after having nitrous oxide administered.
Oral Sedation or Anxiolysis – A pill is taken before the dental appointment to relieve anxiety. Some examples of medications are Xanax (alprazolam), Halcion (triazolam), and Valium (diazepam). Each medication has different effects; we will discuss what will be most effective for your specific needs. Depending upon the medication, you may experience sleepiness or amnesia (not remembering the procedure or time elapsed).
IV Sedation – An IV is placed, and medication is delivered through the IV. The dosage is customized to achieve the optimal result. IV medication will cause a decrease in anxiety, and the resulting amnesia will make hours feel like minutes. You will not have a recollection of the procedure or the experience. IV sedation is very safe, also known as moderate sedation. In the past, it has also been known as conscious sedation because you are conscious and could respond to verbal requests such as “turn your head to the right” or “open wider.” To learn more, see our sedation section.
IV sedation is not the same as general anesthesia as one would receive in the operating room of a hospital, which is a much deeper level of sedation. General anesthesia is inherently a riskier procedure. When a patient requires general anesthesia, we work with an anesthesiologist that comes in to care for our patients.
