How frequently do you visit the dentist? While it may seem like an easy question to answer at first, it usually depends on where you live, your insurance, and your comfort level! For some patients, their local dental office may be miles away, making them less inclined to visit. Others may lack the dental insurance that would allow them to visit the dentist frequently. And many people simply opt out of routine dental visits due to dental anxiety. Unlike dental fear or phobia, dental anxiety is a more generalized fear of the unknown that is associated with the dentist’s office. However, visiting the dentist regularly is essential to taking care of your smile!
While many people view routine visits to the dentist as a necessary evil, we at Bivona Family Dental want to break that stigma! We work to earn your trust, providing patient-centered solutions and offering sedation dentistry to make your visit as comfortable as possible.
Tips and Tricks for Handling Dental Anxiety
If your dental anxiety is holding you back from routine visits to the dentist, visit Bivona Family Dental. Our number one priority is providing the best care and experience for our patients. When meeting a new patient, we will take it at their pace. Our compassionate team strives to get to know our patients and allow them to know us.
For a successful client and dentist relationship, we need to build trust. However, trust isn’t earned in a day. While you get to know us, here are some tips and tricks for managing dental anxiety at the dental office:
- Communicate with your dentist: If you experience dental anxiety, ensure your dentist knows. At Bivona Family Dental, communication is the foundation of the relationship between patient and dentist. When we know you are nervous, we are better equipped to ensure your comfort throughout the procedure.
- Practice relaxation techniques: For some patients, techniques like meditation or breathing exercises can help them relax during a procedure. If you find your heart racing in the dentist’s chair, take some deep breaths and try to ground yourself.
- Use distraction methods: Listening to music or watching TV during a dental appointment can be excellent distractions. If you keep your mind off of your anxiety, you may experience a more comfortable appointment. Additionally, bringing a fidget toy or something you can use to keep your hands busy may help reduce feelings of anxiety.
- Bring a trusted friend: Bringing a trusted friend or family member along to a dental appointment may help keep you comfortable throughout dental procedures. Sometimes, having a familiar face around—until our faces become familiar—can help you get through those first appointments.
Sedation Dentistry for Dental Anxiety
If these tips and tricks don’t help you manage your dental anxiety, we do offer sedation dentistry. With controlled sedation techniques, we can help create positive experiences at the dentist, easing your anxiety over time.
However, it is important to note that sedation dentistry is not a permanent solution. At Bivona Family Dental, we believe that everyone should feel comfortable visiting the dentist, and that these sedation techniques are a tool to get to that point, rather than a solution. We work to build trust with you, providing positive experiences that help to reduce your dental anxiety over time.
Unfortunately, some patients don’t have the luxury of time and need treatment before they are comfortable. In that case, we provide sedation dentistry options to ease you into your dental visits. Bivona Family Dental offers conscious oral sedation and nitrous oxide for your comfort!
Conscious Oral Sedation
This sedation option is usually in the form of a pill, which you take before your appointment. The effects of conscious oral sedation are safe, but they do linger, so having someone you trust driving you to and from the appointment is key.
Once it takes effect, you can expect to feel calm but alert, as it soothes your anxiety but keeps you awake. Consciousness is an important factor in sedation dentistry, as you must be able to listen and follow directions during the procedure. Throughout the procedure, we ensure your safety by monitoring your oxygen content, blood pressure, and heart rate. After a few sessions using oral conscious sedation and building your trust with us, we aim to forgo sedation altogether!
Nitrous Oxide
Additionally, we offer a minimal sedation technique with nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas! To administer this effect, we place a mask over your nose or mouth that you breathe through, inhaling the gas. Once it takes effect, you can expect to feel a sense of calm or even happiness, relaxing you throughout the procedure.
This sedation option is minimal in nature as we can easily reverse its effects. After the procedure, we run oxygen through the mask to flush the gas out of your system, returning you to your normal state. Because there are no lingering effects, you can return to your day afterwards without trouble, driving yourself to and from your appointment.
Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back! Trust Bivona Family Dental With Your Smile
Dental anxiety doesn’t have to be a barrier to the dental care you need. Trust Bivona Family Dental to help you through your anxiety, building trust with you over time, which we are dedicated to keeping. Between helpful relaxation tips, sedation dentistry, and our compassionate care, we aim to change how you view the dentist office. For all of your dental care needs, visit Bivona Family Dental.
Schedule an appointment today to get to know our skilled and compassionate staff!
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