Fear is something that keeps a lot of people from getting the dental work that they need. They are afraid of the sounds and smells at the dentist office. They are afraid of the drills. For some people, the biggest fear of all is the thought of getting the needle. Unlike a shot in the arm, the dental needle seems a lot bigger, and it is in the skin for a longer period of time than a regular needle. This causes a lot of patients to have extreme anxieties, and it keeps them from getting necessary word done, such as fillings and other procedures that require local anesthesia.
Would it help to know that there are ways to have virtually pain-free dentistry in Haleiwa ? Even getting the needle doesn’t hurt. A topical numbing agent is applied to the gum area where the needle will go before the injection is given, so there is no pain at all. This is what is known as a painless injection. Of course, patients who are afraid of needles still know that the needle is there, but knowing it won’t hurt eases a lot of their anxieties. Once this part of the procedure is done, the area to be worked on is completely numbed, and the patient will experience no pain while the work is being done.
For those who have extreme dental fears, sedation dentistry is offered. Patients have a number of options for the type of sedation they want. They can be given anti-anxiety medications prior to dental procedures that will help them to relax. Some patients opt for nitrous oxide or laughing gas. This doesn’t put people to sleep, but it relaxes them so much that they are not concerned about what is going on around them, or what the dentist is doing.
Other patients opt for general anesthesia, especially if they are having dental surgery such as root canals and extractions. The patients are asleep throughout the procedures, and are woken up after everything is all done. They are often also given anti-anxiety medication to take prior to the procedure if they are exceptionally nervous about dentistry in Haleiwa.
