Category: Sedation Dentistry

One of the biggest fears we at Craigentinny dental clinic find that prevents patients from receiving dental care that is essential to their oral health, and in return, their overall health, is overwhelming anxiety in seeking treatment at a dental clinic. In order to help our particularly nervous patients, we have made available Sedation Dentistry in Edinburgh.

We offer Sedation Dentistry in Edinburgh through the means of intravenous sedation as we find this method has a number of desirable benefits for patients.  Our professional dental team welcomes questions from patients interested in Sedation Dentistry in Edinburgh. Intravenous sedation is widely used by dental practitioners worldwide mainly for its effectiveness and for being friendly on a patient’s pocket while making certain that they are comfortable and anxiety-free.

Sedation Dentistry can play a vital role in helping patients take care of their oral health, especially those who have an overpowering fear of needles and other dental instruments. Dental practitioners are better able to perform their tasks quickly and efficiently if the patient is relaxed and comfortable. In many situations, patients can receive multiple procedures in a single session. This presents a powerful argument for efficiency and saving patients time and money.

Reasons why IV sedation makes for a good choice

Can be used in conjunction with a diverse array of dental procedures

Patients can choose IV sedation when undergoing a range of procedures from root canal procedures to tooth extractions.

Advanced level of comfort

IV sedation places patients into a blissful state of a deeper level of relaxation (compared to other types of sedation treatments). In essence, patients remain in a semi-conscious condition throughout a dental procedure.

IV sedation is safe

Patients worried about how safe this method is should note that there will be constant monitoring of vital signs such as blood pressure.

Comes into effect much faster

Seeing that the anaesthetic drugs are administered directly into the bloodstream, they are able to take effect relatively more quickly. Other types of sedation like oral medication can take up to an hour to kick in while it only takes seconds for the drugs to work intravenously.

Controlled dosage allows for a speedier recovery and re-orientation

An experienced dental practitioner can expertly adjust the dosage of sedation to provide a patient with a higher level of relaxation. This can be done in incremental amounts which can help the patient to recover faster once the procedure is over. Patients are advised that it is not recommended that they drive home themselves from the dental clinic but appoint a designated driver instead.

The anticipation of pain and the rise in anxiety levels at the thought of a dental procedure can have an adverse effect on a patient’s health – increase in blood pressure and reduced oxygen intake in the heart – problems that are eliminated when sedation dentistry is used.

We are more than happy to discuss with you your concerns and anxieties about receiving dental care. Our highly experienced dentists at Craigentinny dental clinic will talk you through the process of sedation dentistry and how it can be used to help improve your oral health.

If you are a nervous dental patient, the idea of walking into a dental surgery can fill you with dread, or even panic.

Dental phobia, or dentophobia as it is known in psychology, is an extremely common problem. But, while it is commonly seen, its impacts on both your physical and oral health can be devastating. As humans tend to avoid situations that are painful or unpleasant, the majority of those who suffer from dental phobias put off visiting their dentists for years, meaning their oral health is left unattended.

However, there is some good news! If you are scared about getting into the dental chair, many dental surgeries provide options that will help you to relax.

At Craigentinny, we know that fear of the dentist is an important issue. We take it very seriously and will always aim to make the most phobic of our patients feel relaxed while in our care. While you may think you will never be able to sit in a dental chair unaided, we can offer you a solution that is guaranteed to calm your nerves; sedation dentistry in Edinburgh!

Are there any advantages to sedation dentistry in Edinburgh? Why should you undertake it at all? Read on to find out!

No discomfort

So, one of the key reasons many people have fear of the dentist, to begin with, is related to discomfort from a past experience.

At Craigentinny, we don’t want to make you feel nervous and we certainly don’t want you to be in any pain, so when you come to us for sedation dentistry in Edinburgh, we can assure you that any procedure you undertake with us will be painless.

Sedation is also perfect if you have a fear of needles!

No recall

We have briefly discussed how memories of previous traumas can be an underlying cause of dental anxieties and phobias.

While it is easy to state that not all dentists are the same, at Craigentinny, we know that this will not help soothe your nerves, and so, sedation is a sensible option for changing your opinion of dental professionals.

Why? Because when you awake from sedation, you will have no memory of the procedure and you will have a gorgeous looking set of teeth as a result. Positive reinforcement at its best!

One visit

One of the worst things to inflict on someone who is scared of the dentist is having to attend multiple appointments.

With sedation, an added advantage is that our dental team will be able to perform multiple treatments on you all at once. Fillings, root canals, and even extractions can be completed in one visit, meaning a reduction in appointments – and anxieties.

No anxiety!

Of course, the main advantage of sedation use in dentistry is that it eliminates anxiety.

You won’t be forced to sit through disconcerting noises, smells or experiences and will wake up with a pristine looking set of teeth, without feeling any worry or fear.

Your comfort is our goal at Craigentinny.

Do you have a sensitive gag reflex? Do you have very sensitive teeth?

While most people have heard about practitioners using sedation on patients who are phobic of the dentist or needles, few have heard about the other instances in which the use of sedatives may make your dental appointment simpler.

Of course, while comorbid medical conditions may play a role in whether you are suited to being sedated (and indeed, if you are taking any specific medications), at Craigentinny, if you are sensitive to someone examining your mouth or have a low pain threshold, sedation may be beneficial to you!

At Craigentinny, we are proud to be able to offer sedation dentistry in Edinburgh to our most nervous and phobic patients. However, if you are concerned about your check-up or procedure for other reasons, then talk to our team to see if you are a suitable candidate to undergo sedation via an intravenous drip.

So, what are some of the other scenarios that may warrant you requiring sedation dentistry in Edinburgh?

Movement

Most of us have seen it portrayed in films or on television shows; a child who cannot sit still in the dental chair for their check-up and ends up putting their dental practitioner in a whirl; a classic comedic set-up!
However, there are many medical conditions that may cause a dental patient to move uncontrollably and suddenly, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. Of course, when our team is holding a drill to perform a filling, this is unlikely to be feasible without some kind of sedative in place. So, if you suffer from a condition that may cause erratic movement while undertaking a dental check-up, you are likely to be a candidate for sedation dentistry in Edinburgh.

Anaesthetic resistance

If you are a person who requires extensive dental work from our team at Craigentinny, but cannot tolerate anaesthetic due to conflicting medication or conditions, then sedation is going to be the best option for you.

Relaxing you for up to an hour at a time, the sedatives we use in our intravenous drip rarely have counter interactions with medication or medical conditions and will allow our team to perform the required dental procedures, while you relax.

Of course, if you are concerned, please discuss your medication or your medical condition with our dental team.

Medical conditions

While we discussed medical issues earlier, in this section we will not be looking at medical issues that cause uncontrollable movement.

If you suffer from either neck or back issues, such as ankylosing spondylitis or a slipped disc, it is going to be hard for you to hold one position for too long; while it may not be uncomfortable in the chair, it may cause discomfort at a later date and so, if you have a serious issue with your back or neck, talk to our team about undertaking sedation for your dental check-up.

And of course, if you are nervous, or phobic of the dentist, sedation is also an option for you!

Once considered a somewhat trivial matter, dental phobias are nothing to laugh about.

Indeed, many people who suffer from a fear of the dentist would prefer to endure months of discomfort and put their health at risk as opposed to getting into a dentist’s chair.

Of course, modern dentistry has found ways to ensure that even people who have the most intense dental phobia are able to relax in the dental chair and Craigentinny is no exception!

If you desperately need a dental check-up or another procedure performed in Edinburgh, but get into a cold sweat just thinking about walking into a dental surgery, come along to Craigentinny. Our team is able to offer you compassionate dentistry, a relaxed atmosphere, and if you need it; sedation dentistry in Edinburgh.

Our team at Craigentinny are also able to offer you more than sedation dentistry in Edinburgh, helping you to manage and overcome your fear at your own pace, in your own home. How do we do this? Read on to find out!

Online videos

At Craigentinny, our team knows that you don’t want to have a dental phobia.

Therefore, we are proud to offer you, as the first port of call, a series of online videos on our website. These will guide you through what you can expect at your first appointment, dental sedation options, and how we, as a team, can help you feel more comfortable in our surgery.

We also have an online blog for you to look through, which can provide you with helpful tips about how to manage your anxiety during your visit.

E-Course

Where would we be without the internet?

A tool that helps so many people to learn and grow can now be used to help you overcome your fear of the dentist in your own home.

If you want to desensitize yourself a bit before committing to sedation dentistry in Edinburgh, why not explore the Craigentinny website and look at our ‘Dental Fear E-Course.’ Our results speak for themselves!

Nearly 60% of all nervous patients who undertook the course felt confident enough to book a dental appointment with our team and 20% stated that they could see themselves booking an appointment soon. So, if you are too nervous to book your appointment, our E-Course is for you!

Nervous Patient Programme

Remember, at Craigentinny, our team wants to help you to overcome your fear.

A bit more involved than our E-Course, this involves a member of our dental team talking you through a tailored, custom-designed program to address your individual fears of the dentist and helping you to work through them at a pace that suits you.

At Craigentinny, we do not find your fear of the dentist funny or trivial, as we know that it can have long-term repercussions on your health and wellbeing. Therefore, when you come to Craigentinny with a dental phobia, we will not only help you get through a basic check-up, we will help you beat it all together.

At Craigentinny Dental, we know how daunting it can be to attend a check-up when you have a fear of the dentist.

In the past, those who suffered from dental phobias were subjected to ridicule from dental professionals, making the entire process more unpleasant and adding to the fear. Today, this practice has long since been abolished, in favour of offering those with a dental phobia a more warm and welcoming environment, free from judgement and lecturing.

At Craigentinny, our team is proud of the services we can offer to those who suffer from dental phobia. Everything from E-Courses to sedation dentistry in Edinburgh, our team has worked hard to cover all bases to ensure that you overcome your fear with as much help and support as possible.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of our sedation dentistry in Edinburgh and how we can work with you to become more desensitised to sitting in the dental chair.

What is dental sedation?

At Craigentinny, we are aware that not everyone who is scared of the dentist can be consoled by simply talking to a member of our dental team.

Many of our patients suffer from a very severe phobia of visiting our practice, so we are always able to offer sedation dentistry in Edinburgh to those who need it. Administered through a drip in the arm (intravenously), our team will sedate you before any treatment begins on your teeth and once the procedure is completed, you will be taken to a side room to recuperate.

We must advise that you bring someone responsible and age appropriate with you for this procedure and that you do not operate heavy machinery for 24 hours afterward.

Benefits

Of course, the obvious benefit of intravenous sedatives is that they relax you and allow our team to perform check-ups and procedures without causing you distress. But what are the other benefits?

No memory

Dental phobias are typically based on a negative experience; maybe you had a poor dentist as a child who didn’t listen to you when you told them to be more gentle.

One of the key benefits of our sedative treatments is that afterward, you will have no memory of the procedure. Even if you have had 3 teeth extracted and a root canal, you will not remember any of it!

Most of our phobic patients agree that a minor injection in the arm is less invasive than being wide awake while a dentist examines your teeth.

Sedatives allow our team to examine your mouth with ease, without causing you to feel invaded or violated.

No discomfort

Typically, when you have a filling or extraction, there are lots of needles to help numb your mouth.

With sedatives, there is no need for any additional needles and when you are so relaxed, you will feel no pain. When you are fully conscious, if there is discomfort, you will not associate it with dentistry and will, in time, feel more comfortable about attending our dental surgery for treatment.

For most patients treatments that involve some mild discomfort are performed with a local anaesthetic to numb the area and limit the amount of pain that is felt. However, in some cases there may be call for a stronger sedative to make a potentially stressful procedure for one of our patients a little easier.

Although its use is a fairly common practice and not just for severe cases. So with that in mind, here is a little more information on sedation dentistry in Edinburgh and when we may use it.

What is it?

If you are not familiar with sedation dentistry in Edinburgh, it essentially involves the use of a mild sedative to relax a patient to the point where they can be taken through their prescribed treatment. It is a fairly common practice and it tends to involve your dentist and GP communicating with each other beforehand to make sure you don’t have an adverse reaction to any anaesthetic. A reaction can occur either through allergies or the sedatives conflicting with any medication you may take outside of the dentist office.

When is it used?

Sedation is used in a number of different cases for our patients, but generally it tends to be used for patients with low pain thresholds or those that can’t sit still in the chair, such as young children. It can also be implemented for those that may have anxiety and fear of the dentist. Our dentist may decide it should be brought in if you have very sensitive teeth, an overactive gag reflex or if there’s an extensive amount of dental work to go through and it is a solution to avoid you going through any prolonged discomfort.

At Craigentinny Dental Care our team will assess your case to the full extent of their abilities, to make sure you are an acceptable and safe candidate for sedation.

Are there different types?

There are actually a number of different types of sedative used in dentistry and they are chosen based on the patient, their medical history and the treatment that’s being undertaken.

As an example, there is inhaled sedation through the use of nitrous oxide or ‘laughing gas’. There is oral sedation available with a pill from the valium family, IV sedation through the vein that will work more quickly than other normal methods and finally there’s general anaesthesia which puts patients to sleep. 

Is it safe?

There is always a risk when anaesthesia is involved, but generally it is safe. It is only used by experienced dentists and they will always speak with you and your GP beforehand to make sure that there are not going to be any complications from you being sedated. We may also go through your medical history as well, to make sure that the entire process is as safe as we can possibly make it.

These are just a few facts about your options for sedation when you come into our practice. If you would like to discuss your options, the methods available to you, or if your dentist thinks it would be appropriate in your case, then just contact the practice for a chat.

Craigentinny Dental Care  – we are a  trusted and reliable dental practice and have a well established reputation as a dentist in Edinburgh, having provided service for over 25 years.

 At Craigentinny Dental Care we love to exceed your expectations in both dental care and patient well-being. Creating great smiles and looking after your general dental health is what we do best!

What can I expect from Craigentinny Dental Care ?

Well one thing’s for sure – you can expect a warm welcome and some excellent dental care to start with! Our staff are trained to make you feel welcome when you stop by and visit us, because we believe that making you, the patient, feel at the very heart of the practice is a great place to start, in fact it runs throughout the very fabric of the practice. Firstly, we will need to assess your general health and we can do this by asking you to complete a very general questionnaire. Following this you will meet one of our team of dentists who will perform a comprehensive examination of your mouth and teeth and this will include screening your mouth for cancer and X-rays if required. Mouth cancer is on the rise and early detection and treatment can drastically improve the prognosis. Once we have a clearer picture of your oral health we can discuss treatment options with you if required and answer any questions you may have.

From preventive and general dentistry through to restorative and implant dentistry our team of highly qualified dentists offer an integrated team approach, ensuring you always receive the very best treatment in whatever you require. Our practice carries the very latest in dental technology and equipment, which helps us provide not only a comfortable and modern environment for our patients, but ensures we are able to deliver the very best treatment outcomes. Some of our patients suffer from dental phobia and we can offer intravenous sedation dentistry in Edinburgh. Intravenous sedation dentistry in Edinburgh is well established and can offer a good solution. If you need sedation dentistry in Edinburgh please ask for details and we will be pleased to go through the procedure with you. We offer both NHS service and private dentistry within the same practice, although some treatments will not be available on the NHS. We also offer an easy finance option which will allow you to spread the cost of your treatment with convenient monthly payments allowing you immediate access to treatment.

I am nervous about visiting a dentist and my teeth are in poor condition

It is never too late to make a good first impression and your smile is indeed your calling card. A great smile is your gift to yourself and will not only enhance your sense of well-being, it will fill you with an inner, radiant confidence and a new sense of yourself. We love watching how our patients really do start to feel great about themselves and well up with confidence when we complete their smile makeovers. Whether you have not been to the dentist in years and you have broken, missing or damaged teeth or you have a raging toothache, we of course have seen it all in 25 years. As for nervous patients we have had our fair share of people who are anxious and our specially trained team is on hand to talk to you and better understand why you may be anxious to try and put you at ease. Advancements in dental technology and treatment techniques allow us to perform most of the procedures whilst the patient is nothing other than comfortable. So why not let Craigentinny Dental Care look after your smile.

It isn’t uncommon for people to be a little nervous about going to the dentist, especially if they are preparing for a surgical procedure or a restorative treatment. This is why we offer sedation dentistry in Edinburgh for all of our patients. You can breeze through the treatment process without having to feel the full brunt of your fears and anxieties.

Just speak with one of our compassionate and understanding professionals in order to gain more information about our sedation dentistry in Edinburgh. There are a few options that you can choose from and we can recommend what we believe to be the best fit for your personal situation.

We always give you the full range of options that are suitable for you, with a recommendation of what we believe will be most suitable and why. It is important that you are given the final choice so that you are able to make an informed decision about what you believe is right for you.

What are my options?

If you are nervous about an upcoming treatment and want to learn more about the options available to you, then you should know that we can administer a sedative via intravenous means, in order to effectively relax you throughout the procedure.

We offer a free 20 minute consultation that goes over the basics that you need to know regarding this treatment, so that you can decide whether it is right for you. If you know ahead of time that you would like to be sedated during your treatment, then you can go right ahead and book your examination and consultation where a pre-sedation check will be administered.

During this consultation, we can ensure that we are able to administer the correct dosage during the procedure in question. We can give you an estimate of the costs in which you can agree to before booking sedation during your procedure appointment.

What other tools do you have to help me tackle my dental anxiety?

We are always looking for new ways in which to help you through your fears and anxiety so that you can enjoy a more relaxed relationship with us here. That is why we offer all of our patients the opportunity to enroll in our 7 day e-course, that guides people through beating their anxieties and fears.

Every person may find that they need to approach overcoming their anxiety in a different way because their fears have stemmed from  different external or internal factors. We know that every person is unique and that is why you will need to find your own way to work through your dental fear and all in your own time.

Our e-course is simply a means of providing information that can help you to understand your anxiety, as well as many different tips and tools that you can use to stop hiding and start living confidently.

We are very experienced in these matters, are non-judgemental and compassionate for your concerns. We look forward to working with you and helping you in every way that we can.

Being scared of the dentist can be difficult, especially when you start to get toothache.

Dental phobias are surprisingly common, and many people who become nervous at the thought of sitting in a dental chair often try their hardest to look after their teeth to try and ensure that they will not require that biannual trip to their nearest dental surgery.

This technique rarely works and eventually, even the most diligent tooth brusher will require a check-up sooner or later, so what are your options? You can take painkillers and hope the pain goes away or you can bite the bullet and book a check-up with your dentist.

Today, all dental surgeries are equipped and able to help the most phobic of dental patients. Craigentinny can offer a range of options to reduce your anxiety and can even offer you sedation dentistry in Edinburgh if required.

What is sedation dentistry?

If the thought of even having a basic check-up overwhelms you when you book your appointment with us, please inform our receptionists or use our online form to specify that you want this to be performed. Our dental team can easily accommodate sedation dentistry in Edinburgh along with other forms of relaxation techniques.

Sedation dentistry in Edinburgh at Craigentinny involves intravenous sedation to relax you during the procedure. You will be partially conscious but after the procedure is over, you will have no memory of what occurred and therefore, you will not associate the examination with anxiety but with relaxation.

Please be advised that when you undertake any form of sedation with us, you will need to have a friend or family member with you, to ensure that you get home safely. We advise against driving for 24 hours post sedation, along with operating heavy machinery.

Alternative ways we can help you

Of course, sedation is not the only way we can help you overcome your fear of the dentist; we offer many other alternatives which we encourage you to look through.

E-consultation

If you want to get to know our dental team before you visit us at our surgery, we can offer you an email consultation. During this, we will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our surgery, our experience and most importantly, how we help our most nervous patients.

This consultation puts you at no obligation, you are not required to attend our surgery for treatment afterwards

Phone consultation

Don’t like communicating through email? We also offer phone consultations, to help you put a voice to a member of our team. Typically, the phone consultation will be performed by one of our experienced dental nurses, who will voice any concerns you may have to our dentists, if you choose to proceed with treatment at our surgery.

At Craigentinny, we aim to make our most nervous patients comfortable so contact us today and let’s beat your dental phobia together!

When the thought of visiting your dentist for a check-up brings you out in a sweat, be aware that you are not alone in this world.

In a survey of phobias experienced around the world, fear of the dentist or ‘dentophobia’ usually comes in the top 10 most commonly reported phobias, with more than 60% of all dental patients reporting some degree of worry about an upcoming dental visit.

This trend has not gone unnoticed by dental professionals; many dentists, NHS or private are now trained in how to manage nervous or phobic patients and strive to balance a professional approach with being compassionate and caring.

At Craigentinny, we offer services for our most phobic patients. If, however, your phobia is incredibly severe, we can offer you a service known as sedation dentistry in Edinburgh.

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is exactly as it sounds, one of our dental team will inject you with an intravenous (IV) sedative before your dental procedure, to minimise your anxiety and allow you to forget any uncomfortable aspects of the dental treatment. You will remain partially conscious but will be unaware of the sounds, feelings and procedures happening around you. When the sedative wears off, usually within 24 hours, you will have minimal recollection of the procedure and therefore, you will not feel any fear upon recalling it.

At Craigentinny, we use sedation dentistry in Edinburgh when our patients fear of the dentist is preventing them from seeking help for painful dental conditions, that could pose a risk to their health. However, we also use sedation dentistry in Edinburgh if requested by a patient or their relatives for any procedure, just to ensure minimal distress to the patient. We recommend that before you undertake any form of sedation, that you inform our dental team about any underlying conditions you have, any medications you are taking and to ensure you have a family member or a friend to take you home after the procedure is completed.

Benefits of sedation dentistry

At Craigentinny Dental Care, we want you to feel safe and secure when you undergo any dental procedure. If you are fearful of the dentist, you are probably actively avoiding attending any type of procedure.

Unfortunately, even the most diligent brushers cannot prevent dental issues from occurring and if you have underlying dental problems, you may unwittingly be making them worse. IV sedation offers you the opportunity to undergo any dental procedure with minimal fear and allows us to assess the condition of your teeth and to perform the required work.

Many of our former phobic patients have reported feeling an increased sense of trust with our dental team for being able to offer the sedation upon request. We will not judge the condition of your teeth or your gums, so you do not have to worry about receiving the dreaded ‘lecture’ from any of our dentists!