Are you afraid of the dentist? If so you are not alone. Many people are afraid of the dentist and unfortunately that makes many people avoid the dentist. The major outcome of this is that they do not receive the care they should get and end up spending much more money as well as much more time in the dental chair later on. Many of our older patients tell stories about dental visits in years past where there was no anesthetic given, the dentist did not seem to care about their comfort, or one of many other reasons they are now afraid of dental visits.
At Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry, we dedicate ourselves to educating the community about oral health issues. In today’s segment we will discuss pain free dentistry. We hope you learn something and enjoy!
Can Dentistry be Pain Free?
Our mouths are complex environments. Sensory nerve endings are abound and this results in extreme sensitivity to hot, cold, touch, and unfortunately pain. What may not result in pain if done to the hand, knee, or shoulder could be extremely painful in the mouth. The result of this is that very often dentistry cannot be totally pain free. Before you click the “exit” button, we urge you to read on. Although nobody could ever guarantee pain free dentistry, our profession has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years with wonderful results in pain management. We will detail a few of these changes below.
The Needle; What has Changed Since Baby Boomers Have Been Born?
Many people who suffer from dental fear can attribute it to the needle. In order for dental procedures themselves to be completely pain free, anesthetic must be delivered. The most effective manner to deliver this anesthetic is to use the needle.
We cannot count the amount of times that an injection has been given and we have had the question asked, “did you do it?”. Many of the injections given are not even felt, let alone been extremely painful. Possibly the largest reason for this is topical anesthetic. Topical anesthetic is a relatively powerful gel that is applied to the area to be anesthetized. Once the soft tissue is adequately numb, the injection is hardly felt. The proper use of the proper topical anesthetic has eliminated dental fears for many patients.
What About the Drill?
The drill is called a “handpiece” by the dentists. The handpiece is the source of fear for some patients. The truth is that when your dentist has adequately administered anesthetic, the handpiece should not be felt at all. There is not even minor discomfort associated with the handpiece.
Post-Operative Pain
Many dental procedures can result in post operative pain. This pain; however, can be reasonably predicted and discussed prior to any procedure. Post operative pain is generally mild and should be expected when present because Dr. Harth or Dr. Townsend will discuss all post operative instructions with each patient.
The American Dental Association’s web segment on Mouth Healthy has some good information on dental anxiety and how to cope.
If you experience dental fear, we encourage you to visit us. We understand that this exists, is very common, and is not something to be ignored. It is important to discuss this with the dentist because very often the source of the fear can be addressed and much needed dental treatment can be obtained. Feel free to contact us electronically at any time or call us at (904)285-7711.