If you feel anxious even thinking about sitting in the dentist’s chair, you are not alone. However, did you know there is a way to face your fear and have your dental work done painlessly? Painless dentistry in Tehran is available for all levels of anxiety.
Sedation dentistry allows the most anxious of patients to get their oral health on track. When it comes to dental anxiety, there are various medications available to alleviate most fears and allow a patient to have a painless dental experience. Dentists often seek out one of three different types of sedation options for their patient. They differ in their administration, as well as the level of pain control and anxiety relief that they provide.
Causes of dental phobia
- You can experience dental phobia at any age, regardless of how many times you’ve previously seen your dentist, and this can be heightened if you often experience anxiety. Your experience after receiving general anaesthetic can also cause you to develop a phobia.
- If you experience anxiety, this may have increased due to time away from the dentist and you may feel anxious about the safety of attending your dentist. You may even feel that because you haven’t been able to see your dentist for some time because of closure that the continuity is lost.
- Dental phobia can also be caused by the fear of needles, pain, choking/gagging or an invasion of personal space, it has many triggers.
How Can Painless Dentistry in Tehran Help?
Most of the factors behind dental anxiety and odontophobia are triggered by pain or the public perception of pain. In this regard, a ‘Painless Dentistry’ option can act as a comforter for the people who opt out of dental appointments due to the perceived pain. The more people try out such options, the more they will refer them to their colleagues, family, etc.
Furthermore, sedative dentistry (a component of painless dentistry) helps calm people. This is crucial for anxious people who are unable to stay still during a procedure.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of people Painless Dentistry procedures can help:
- Consistently postpone appointments due to fear
- Allergic or fear shots or needles.
- Possess sensitive teeth.
- Have gone through a traumatic dental experience.
- Face difficulty getting numb.
- Possess complex dental problems.
- Are too busy to complete dental work.
- Have a very serious gag reflex.
- Have an issue or fear of noises, smells, or tastes associated with dental care.
- Are afraid & embarrassed about their teeth.
How Does Painless Dentistry Work?
Painless Dentistry can be classified into two broad categories: Sedation Dentistry and Other Measures.
Both make use of the latest advents and technology to help patients experience minimal pain during their surgeries or extractions. There are a variety of measures, other than sedation methods that enable dentists to do their jobs without inflecting pain.
Lasers
Lasers have witnessed significant improvements in their accuracy and precision of use as technology advances. They are used by dentists for soft tissue work, like gum surgery, and is proven to be far less painful than traditional cuts with the knife. Lesser the cuts, lesser the blood and pain.
Sharper, Accurate Equipment
Sharper equipment, such as sharper drill burrs are key to making smaller and more precise cuts in the mouth and tissue. This means minor damage to teeth which prevents further visits to the dentist.
Enhanced Drugs
Dentists are presented with an array of options to use as an anaesthetic to numb your gums. Previously, the only option was Novocain; now dentists have better drugs, Lidocaine for example.
Digital X-Rays
The world has moved past the oversized pieces of cardboard you would find impossible to bite. Skinny phosphorous plates are the newest invention that makes having an X-Ray of your teeth done with relative ease. It provides easier and better X-Rays while minimising discomfort to the patient.
Sedation Dentistry
While lasers and other advancements have reduced the pain barrier involved in visiting a dentist, there is still some pain involved in the process. Sedation ensures that even that pain is minimised. It is effective in reducing the anxiety levels and enables dentists to work uninterrupted.
Levels of Sedation:
- Minimal – The patient remains awake but with a feeling of calm.
- Moderate – The patient remains awake but not fully aware.
- Deep – The patient remains awake but with minimal consciousness
- General Anesthesia – The patient is completely unconscious
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation can range from light to heavy dosage, impacting consciousness. For a light sedation level, a pill is given. Typically, the pill is from the drug family of Valium (the sleeping pill) and is taken approximately 5—60 minutes before the procedure. A lower dose may render a person drowsy while a larger dose will constitute deep sedation.
IV Sedation
The sedative is injected into the vein by a drip. This method works quicker and lasts longer than other sedation methods.
General Anaesthesia
Deep sedation as it is called, it is the most powerful form of sedation which results in a complete loss of consciousness. It can only be reversed by medication or once the anesthesia wears off which is usually a few hours.
Is Painless Dentistry in Tehran Safe?
While pills and nitrous oxide are generally considered safe, there is always a risk involved in administering anaesthesia. However, there are safety parameters set by relevant authorities and boards to enable safe practice. For instance, one parameter is the qualification of the dentists.
Most dentists are qualified in their training duration to administer nitrous oxide and minimal sedation through pills. Up and coming number of dentists are also qualified to administer moderate sedation.
However, deep sedation and use of anaesthesia are only restricted to dentists who have completed the appropriate training and qualifications. Use of complex techniques requires expertise, which is why typically certified dentists are oral and maxillofacial surgeons and dental anesthesiologists.
Are Painless Dentistry Methods Expensive?
Much like other dentistry procedures, the cost for advanced painless dentistry procedures also varies due to different parameters. Parameters such as your individual insurance coverage, geographic location, your dental affiliation, and the state of your oral hygiene being the most important. Generally, costs can range depending on the type of sedation used.
In most of the cases, light sedation is administered using nitrous oxide and pills. However, its fee does not include treatment charges. IV sedation and deep sedation (usage of anesthesia) are reserved for dental surgery which is a complex operation. This carries additional costs which are typically billed hourly.
Be a Smart Patient
Dentists are regulated by authorities, and the anaesthesia is typically not considered risky, even then it is always advised to be smart and aware of relevant information.
Here are a few things you should check for during a dental procedure involving deep sedation.
- Make the dentist go over your medical history. The dentist should verify your eligibility to undergo a sedation session.
- Ask and observe the dose is appropriate as per health and age.
- Check up on the dentist’s experience; in general, and in administering dosages.
- Read the document about sedation acknowledgment Go over any risks that are unclear, or you are unsure about.
- Have somebody monitor the vital health signs during the procedure or surgery. Check these health lines on the Australian Dental Association.
- The dentist should also have oxygen, referred to as artificial ventilation, and drugs that reverse sedation in case of need.
