Sleep Dentistry Silences The Fear Of The Drill
Sleep dentistry (aka – sedation dentistry) has become the only way to go the dentist for many thousands of patients. People, for some reason, seem to have an aversion to the dental office. When depicted in movies, dentists are portrayed as dark, maniacal men wielding a huge syringe and an even larger drill! Do you remember Little Shop of Horrors – that’s the idea stuck in most people’s heads. Sleep dentistry will change this for you forever.
Anxiety is a fact of life for many people, and dental anxiety can be a debilitating fear. Bad visits during childhood can cause a lifetime of fear and neglect. Most dental anxiety stems from these experiences when a child: not knowing what was going on, painful drilling and injections, and being told to be quiet or held down. Even without a bad experience, people can still be very anxious about making an appointment or getting work done. Some people, prior to becoming sleep dentistry patients, have told me that in their past they would hear rumors or horror stories about one person’s visit to the dentist and that will become engrained in their brain, thus creating a phobia. People are also afraid to go from fear of being scolded, or they feel that their teeth are so bad that it will be very embarrassing to have them examined.
With today’s technologies, techniques, and focus on a good patient experience, the dental industry has evolved into something that no longer needs to be feared. We don’t scold, we don’t hold you down, and we explain everything that we can do for you – we understand your fear and we cater to it… sleep dentistry is the answer!
Sleep dentistry is truly a miracle for so many patients. At your first visit, we will have a comprehensive conversation with you to understand your anxiety. We will talk about where this comes from, what triggers it (sound of the drill, just stepping foot in the office?), and how we are going to eliminate this fear. It also requires you to be in reasonably good health. Some health issues like COPD, asthma, and diabetes require extra care. Most patients are excellent candidates for sleep dentistry.
Sleep dentistry involves different medications given underneath the tongue to produce a sleepy, dreamlike state that results in almost total amnesia. This is considered oral sedation unlike IV sedation dentistry. The medications are placed underneath the tongue, because this is the one of the fastest ways into the bloodstream. Most people only remember coming to the office and then waking up in their bed at home. It works that well!
What is truly amazing about sleep dentistry is that, if you wish, you can have all of your dental work done in one visit! Many patients have not had an appointment for 5,10,15, even 20 years. Well, you might imagine what could be in there after 20 years… we can fix all of that in the course of one appointment. Some people are in the chair for 7 or 8 hours at a time, all the while being comfortable, relaxed, and unaware of all the work being done. Truly remarkable! So many patients thank us after the appointment for changing their lives and, especially, for not remembering the procedure. They can’t believe they didn’t hear about this sooner.
Whether it’s anxiety over a cleaning, a veneer smile makeover, implant surgery, wisdom teeth removal, or a root canal, sleep dentistry will change your view of dentists forever. Call today for a consultation with Dr. Lampee.
