Are All Dental Procedures at Modern Touch Dental Really Pain-Free?
I wish I could say outright “YES!” to this one, but, the truth is: pain is relative. What some may consider excruciatingly painful, others may barely feel and vice versa. This, of course, applies in just about every situation involving “feeling”. One of my main priorities as your dentist is to make sure we safely control sensation during treatment so that you can enjoy total comfort both during and after any dental procedure at my office.
Because the team has emphasized comfort in our office for so many years now, we have a history of attracting people with high levels of dental anxiety. You will NOT be the first person to tell us that just walking into a dental office makes you feel queasy (let alone sitting in the chair for treatment). I can’t tell you how many patients we have seen who have “skipped” visits to the dentist for years at a time before finding comfort at Modern Touch Dental. So, what do we do differently for those patients?
Localized Anesthetic
If your dental anxiety stems from a fear of needles (this is common), fear not!
Our dentists are experts when it comes to pain-free anesthetizing. They are trained in a technique that allows the anesthetic to enter into the tissues SLOWLY thereby largely decreasing (and even eliminating for many) any negative sensation. For patients undergoing treatment where lidocaine is recommended, and their anxiety is high, we can even pre-anesthetize the injection site with a special topical gel ensuring that not only will you not feel a thing during treatment, but you also won’t feel a thing during the lidocaine numbing process. Totally awesome, right?! Our patients think so!
Nitrous Oxide
If you are not 100% confident that local anesthetic will “be enough”, nitrous oxide may be just the solution. Commonly known as “laughing gas”, this method of anxiety control will help you to stay calm and collected during treatment. Contrary to its nickname, laughing gas actually has more of a sedative effect, rather than a super silly one. You may feel tingly in your arms and legs or slightly light-headed, but, once we put the mask on, you can expect a totally pain-free appointment. Your comfort is continually monitored and addressed by the doctor as needed.
Oral Conscious Sedation
For those who wish to be sedated for treatment, we recommend oral conscious sedation. You will take an oral sedative 90 minutes prior to your appointment and either nitrous oxide or controlled doses of additional medication will be supplied throughout the procedure. This will put you into a conscious state of sedation. You will be responsive but totally relaxed. Not even the idea of pain or discomfort will cross your mind. Many patients complete treatment with little to no memory of the procedure and little to no residual pain in the hours/days following. It’s truly magical for patients seeking that pain-free dental experience! If you plan to schedule an oral conscious sedation appointment with us, we’ll even check to see if you qualify for sedation coverage per your insurance plan. Coverage for sedation is very rare, but not totally unheard of!
Post-appointment / Pre-appointment Prescription Pain Relief
If the doctor has reason to believe you may feel discomfort in the hours or days following your procedure, he or she may be able to prescribe prescription pain relief. This is done strictly on a case by case basis and not every patient will be prescribed medication.
Once you’ve established care with us, we can work with your physician directly who may be able to prescribe you anxiety controlling medication for use prior to future appointments.
If you are one of the thousands suffering from dental anxiety, seeking a pain-free dental experience, PLEASE don’t jeopardize your oral health any longer. Read our reviews from raving fans who agree- we do dentistry differently- and request your first appointment with us today. Your mouth will thank you!