e.s.i. Healthy Dentistry is Helping you get Over your Fear of the Dentist

If you fear your annual visit to the dentist’s office, or avoid coming in until you’re in severe pain, you are not alone. According to the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation, nearly 30 percent of American adults admit to associating dental visits with feelings of discomfort and pain. This fear can be so great that it actually hinders patients from maintaining their oral health. 

At e.s.i Healthy Dentistry, we implement a number of protocols to help you feel at ease during your visit, and look forward to your next. We understand our patients’ apprehension toward dental procedures; we also understand that each patient has different needs, boundaries, and comfort levels. That is why we provide a variety of options with our sedation dentistry. 

The specific sedation that a patient receives will depend on the level of anxiety he or she experiences and the type of procedure that Dr. Kilimitzoglou will be performing. In offering the following sedation options, we are confident we can make you feel your most comfortable during your appointment.

Oral sedatives are used to tackle the anxiety that a patient feels. These take some time to go into effect and can be administered up to one hour before a patient’s appointment. Oftentimes, a patient may fall asleep when oral sedation is used. Patients simply take a small pill, making this method safe and effective.

Nitrous oxide, more commonly known in non-medical settings as laughing gas, is inhaled by the patient to put them in a relaxed state of mind. This sedation method works immediately and has minimal lingering side effects. Dr. Kilimitzoglou can control the level of sedation throughout the procedure.

IV Sedation involves injecting sedatives directly into the bloodstream through a needle. This form of sedation dentistry works instantly and offers patients the deepest level of sedation. IV sedation is most commonly used for patients who experience severe anxiety or discomfort, or for lengthy dental procedures. Patients enter a sleep-like state and typically have no recollection of the procedure.

With the wide variety of anxiety-easing protocols we employ, we are confident we can help you feel your most comfortable in our office. At e.s.i., we do all we can to help you relax while fixing up your smile.