If you, too, should ever experience such feelings having to go to a dental office, or at the mere thought of having to have a routine checkup, know that you are not the only one.
An estimated 20 percent of the world's population suffers from what has been openly referred to as dental phobia.
The biggest problem related to fear for dentists is that patients would rather neglect caring for their mouths (and often continue to experience unnecessary pain) than overcome their blockage.
In these few lines we will therefore try to explain why this fear is generated in many subjects and what techniques we adopt within our practice to try to counteract it, as well as to put patients at ease. In fact, within the Savasta practice, in addition to having long experience with dental phobic subjects, we resort to the most innovative techniques of conscious sedation of patients, to which we often resort to solve anxiety-related problems.
Why does fear about the dentist and visits arise?
When it comes to fears, we clearly enter an extremely personal realm, linked to the individual's history and emotional and psychological sphere. In the case of fear of dentistry, there is a kind of common belief, probably fueled by cinematic imagery, that dental visits would correspond to a time of extreme physical suffering.
Many patients start from this assumption, despite the fact that it is easily disproven, and deliberately decide to skip their appointments (based on mistaken beliefs). Then there are patients in whom dental phobia is instead related to deeper traumas, which clearly make the terror real, and which should be treated thoroughly by a specialist.
In many of these cases, therefore, the fear is not so much related to the dentist per se, but to other aspects that are hidden deeper inside.
What we would like to emphasize, however, is that neglecting one's health, whether it is of the teeth or not, is always a bad habit as well as a behavior that can lead to serious repercussions.
What are the most feared practices?
Among the practices that most frighten patients usually include surgeries, such as wisdom teeth extraction or implant surgery, but anesthesia also often generates anxiety problems. Thus, on the one hand, there are patients who would like to undergo full anesthesia to make sure they feel no pain; on the other hand, there are those who would like to avoid it, therefore going for conscious sedation.
What is conscious sedation?
Conscious sedation (also called sedo anesthesia) is an anesthesia technique that aims to generate a relaxed condition in the patient, promoting greater pain control and a state of temporary amnesia.
What is achieved by conscious sedation is thus a condition of awareness in the treated subject, who, however, does not feel any pain and does not remember the procedures of the surgery undergone. Despite the partial amnesia and relaxation, this type of technique does not imply the loss of reflexes, such as the ability to maintain autonomous and regular breathing or to respond conscientiously to all physical stimuli and verbal commands.
Nevertheless, before undergoing such a procedure, it is a good idea to obtain approval from a competent physician, because conscious anesthesia also carries contraindications.
What kind of patient can undergo conscious-type sedation?
Conscious sedation, as you may have guessed, is a widely used practice with patients who are dental phobic or have excessive anxiety. It is also very useful with cardiac, hypertensive, or epileptic patients because it allows the reduction of strong, negative emotions that would otherwise hinder the performance of the procedure. It is also used with handicapped patients, who in some cases may show signs of restlessness.
On the other hand, the same technique is not recommended for pregnant women, no matter what month they are in, because it can promote early delivery. In cases of severe colds, chronic bronchitis or general respiratory difficulties, it would also be best to avoid this technique, as it may lead to unwanted complications. Same in the case of severe illnesses, such as emphysema, multiple sclerosis, acute bronchopneumonia, and so on.
How does conscious sedation work?
The first step the dentist always takes is to check the patient's medical history, which is used to verify that the use of conscious sedation does not bring with it any side problems.
Assessment of the suitability of the individual to undergo the technique should always take place a few days before the procedure. Only once this suitability is identified is it possible to proceed. Sedation is carried out by means of a cannula inserted intravenously, through which medication is administered (throughout the procedure, moreover, the patient's parameters are constantly monitored). In some specific cases, the intravenous administration is combined with the inhalation of nitrous oxide, then eliminated naturally within a few minutes.
However, the success of sedation may vary depending on the personnel performing all procedures, which is all the more reason why we emphasize the importance of always using professionals.
At the Savasta practice, we regularly perform these types of procedures, making use of the most innovative techniques popular in the medical and dental fields. So book your consultation and entrust your smile to a team of experts!
