Dental fear is a common feeling among anxious patients, especially in some children and new patients. If you feel uncomfortable seeing the dentist’s drill or feel nervous while waiting in the reception area or sitting in the dental chair, you might have dental anxiety. A survey in the UK found that 36% of those who do not regularly see a dentist name fear as the main reason.

Fortunately, dental fear and any forms of dental-related anxiety can be easily managed and controlled with the help of your dental team. There are various effective options to fight your anxiety and make your dental visit a pleasant experience. One of these options is sleep dentistry.

What is Sleep Dentistry?

Also referred to as sedation dentistry, sleep dentistry aims to minimise the patient’s discomfort during treatment. While the name “sleep dentistry” suggests a patient will be unconscious, normally a patient is only put into a relaxed state using sedatives and pain relievers. The effect of sedatives will make you feel drowsy and relaxed but you will remain awake.

Sleep dentistry can be used for any simple or complex dental procedures from dental cleaning up to surgical procedures. This method is now popularly used in the field of dentistry to help manage dental phobia and anxiety as well as reduce pain and discomfort during the dental procedure.

Levels of Sedation

Sleep dentistry employs various medications and procedures to help you relax throughout the treatment. The levels of sedation are classified into three groups: minimal, moderate and deep.

Minimal sedation renders the patient relaxed and awake. With moderate sedation, your speech is slow and you may forget some details of the procedure. In deep sedation, you are on the edge of consciousness but the medicine still keeps you awake.

The Benefits of Sleep Dentistry

• Experience calm and relaxed nerves
• Feel comfortable during the entire procedure
• No feeling of restlessness
• Control of the gag reflex

Safe Sleep Dentistry Administered by your Deer Park Dentist at Smart Smile Dental

Dental fear should not stop you from getting the care you need for your oral health. At Smart Smile Dental, we provide solutions you need for your dental care, and that includes managing your dental anxiety. Our advanced sleep dentistry procedures will make you feel comfortable in our dental chair. We administer comfortable and safe sleep dentistry procedures to give you a pain-free dental experience.

At Smart Smile Dental in Deer Park, our goal is to make quality dental care affordable. We encourage you to take advantage of our latest offers.

To find out more, visit our special offers page or contact us now on (03) 8390 5778 or make an appointment online.