Being afraid of the dentist is very common. Approximately 80% of the adult population in the USA reports some anxiety about forthcoming dental treatment. At Ringley Park Dental Practice in Reigate, Surrey, the dentists are experienced in offering dental treatment to nervous patients. Along with a caring approach our dentists aim to provide treatment in a kind and gentle manner. Treating nervous patients is something we are used to doing on a daily basis.
Starting at the first consultation, we aim to discuss your concerns in full and tailor your treatment accordingly. Your first appointment is intended to be a consultation without any treatment being carried out whatsoever. It can sometimes be a good idea to bring a friend or family member with you if you need some extra moral support.
If you haven’t been to a dentist for many years, don’t despair and don’t be embarrassed either. We are not here to be judgemental; we are merely looking to help you with your dental health and also to help you get over your fear of the dentist.
If the thought of treatment still seems too daunting or complicated, we have experienced anaesthetists available who can sedate you to make the experience more comfortable. Using this technique, drugs are given by injection and you are still conscious, but very relaxed indeed. Your awareness of the treatment is therefore minimal and the time passes very quickly.
For local anaesthetic procedures (using an injection to numb the tooth or gums) it is important that if anything is uncomfortable during treatment you can communicate this to your dentist. This means that you are far more in control and can give a signal (chosen by you and your dentist) to indicate that you need to stop.
The huge technological advances that have been made in dentistry over the last few years have also helped to make the experience far more comfortable and much less daunting. As a result, patients can be more confident that they can receive even complex dental treatment with the minimum of fuss. Some techniques avoid the use of the drill, such as Healozone, air-abrasion and bonding. Some don’t need any anaesthetic and therefore no needle! Alternatively the routine use of anaesthetic creams before an injection can reduce discomfort dramatically. Also a computerised local anaesthetic machine that looks like a pen called ‘The Wand’ has been shown to give more comfortable injections.
There is an immense amount of job satisfaction when people feel less anxious about their visits with us. Watching people gain confidence and develop good relationships with us is a fantastic part of our job.
