It's called odontophobia, but it’s basically a big word that describes a much bigger issue: fear of the dentist. Also referred to as dentophobia, some degree of odontophobia is totally normal. In fact, it’s estimated that upwards of 50 percent of all American adults have some degree of odontophobia, whether it be mild or severe. But while it’s normal to experience some anxiety before your dental appointment, it shouldn’t get in the way of your oral health.
Thankfully, our office provides many solutions to calm your dental fears and anxieties. It’s called relaxation dentistry, and it’s just one way we work to make your dental experience as comfortable as possible.
What Is Relaxation Dentistry?
The goal of relaxation dentistry is to reduce dental anxiety, fear, and discomfort, which can be beneficial for patients who have dental phobias or who require extensive dental work. By providing a more relaxed experience, patients may be more likely to undergo necessary treatments and maintain their oral health.
With a variety of techniques, from talking through your anxiety to using full sedation, we aim to reduce your dental fears and make the entire process as stress-free as possible.
What You Can Expect From Relaxation Dentistry at Alexandria Dental Health & Smile Studio
Odontophobia is often based on a fear of the unknown. So knowing what to expect from your dental appointment can go a long way to relieve the stress and anxiety of an exam or procedure.
Here’s some of what you can expect in our office to help reduce your dental fears.
- Our team discusses your treatment plan for the day so you know exactly what will be done and how it will be achieved.
- If you do have dental fears, I’m the first one you should talk to about them. Did you have a bad experience with a previous dentist? Are you afraid of the sound of drills or that you will need a needle? Talking it through can often help with whatever is causing your anxiety.
- We provide several sedation options, including nitrous oxide, which creates a calm, relaxed feeling without causing you to lose consciousness. In fact, you can return to your normal day after a brief recovery period in our office—typically after just 5 or 10 minutes.
We might also decide together that anesthesia is another option. If so, we’ll work with a local anesthetist to put you into a peaceful sleep during your procedure. You’ll awake to find your dental treatment completed, and have no memory of it at all.
As you can see, we take your dental anxiety very seriously and want to work with you to calm your fears and provide the best treatment for long-lasting oral health. If you have dental anxiety, let our staff know when making your appointment so we can make preparations to assist you in any way possible.