I have terrible teeth. This is mostly my fault because I am pretty afraid of the dental chair. Is there a way to get my teeth healthy without feeling like I am being tortured? I have a horrible time getting numb. Once I get my teeth in order, I wondered how painful getting porcelain veneers will be.
Janessa
Dear Janessa,
You are not alone in your fear of the dental chair. Many patients go through something similar. The good news is there is a solution. Believe it or not, your dental anxiety is why you have trouble getting numb during your procedures. Not all dentists know this. What you need is something that helps bring down your anxiety level. When you’re relaxed, your numbing medication will become much more effective. In order for this to happen, you need to see a dentist who offers dental sedation options.
There are basically, three levels of dental sedation, which you can read about on the link directly above. What I’m going to do here is recommend you use the second level, called oral conscious sedation, when you have a great deal of work to do in one sitting. This is strong enough that you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, as well as stay with you for a few hours after the appointment until you are lucid and steady on your feet. Most patients sleep through their appointment using this.
You will find this will change your life and allow you to get your oral health back in step much faster simply because you have more work done in each sitting.
Getting that Beautiful Smile
Once your teeth are healthy, you’ll be ready to make them beautiful. To do that, you’ll want to go to an expert, artistic cosmetic dentist. Make certain you check out their smile gallery to see that you love the results they get. It’s also helpful if you go to a dentist who offers a digital smile design. That way you can see your smile before the work is done.
Porcelain veneers are the right procedure for a smile makeover. They aren’t painful. The only enamel removal is about the depth of your fingernail. A dentist will use a local anesthetic. After you experience dental sedation, you likely shouldn’t have the same problems getting numb. If you’re worried, you could always get the first level of sedation, known as nitrous oxide. This relaxes you, but you are still completely lucid and able to get on with your day immediately following the procedure. This is useful because you want to be able to enjoy your gorgeous new smile.
This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Imam.