Overcoming Dental Anxiety

October 8, 2018

Does it take all your will power to make appointments for your oral health, and do you often cancel them when they finally arrive? If so, you likely have a condition called dental anxiety, which can cause intense fear about visiting the dentist or periodontist. The compassionate team at Marin Periodontics Dental Group would love to help you get the care you need to maintain good oral health. We offer safe and gentle sedation dentistry that can relieve your fears and help you have a relaxing treatment experience.

Our Sedation Options

Drs. Brand Ahn and Jay Salzman offer a variety of sedation options to help patients feel secure and comfortable before, during and after treatment. The type of sedation each periodontist in Larkspur, CA, will recommend for you depends on a variety of factors, including how severe your dental anxiety is and the type of dental procedures you’re scheduled to receive. Your sedation options include:

• Local anesthetic
• The Wand® syringe-free local anesthetic
• Nitrous oxide (“Laughing Gas”)
• Intravenous (IV) sedation

Local anesthetic is applied via syringe directly to the treatment site. It’s the most common form of sedation given to patients and is very effective at numbing the nerves and tissues around the treatment area.

If you’re afraid of needles, Drs. Ahn and Salzman also offer a syringe-free local anesthetic called The Wand®. It is applied topically to the oral tissues and gently numbs the area without the use of a needle.

Nitrous oxide is one of the preferred types of sedation dentistry for patients with mild anxiety. It’s an odorless, safe gas that causes feelings of euphoria and well-being.

IV sedation is generally reserved for invasive dental procedures or for patients with severe anxiety. It’s administered directly into the bloodstream and induces a state of deep relaxation. You will remain semi-awake during treatment but will probably lose all memory of it afterward.

Contact Us

Don’t let dental anxiety keep you from being treated by a skilled periodontist in Larkspur, CA. To find out how comfortable sedation dentistry can be, schedule your appointment with Marin Periodontics Dental Group today.

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