When a patient visit the dentist for a routine cleaning and exam, or to have restorative services done like getting fillings or crowns, there is often a level of anxiety involved. Many patients fear being in pain when going to the dentist. This happens with elective services, too, like cosmetic dentistry. Just because the patient chooses to have their teeth whitened, or more extensive work from a Cosmetic Dentist in Keizer OR like having their bite corrected, or teeth replaced with implants and bridges, or chips and gaps fixed with bonding and veneers, the patient may be anxious and nervous for the procedure.
This anxiety that patients feel is the reason that a Cosmetic Dentist in Keizer, OR, along with dentists providing restorative services like root canals, provide their patients with sedation dentistry. Fear of going to the dentist is a common experience among many patients. That may be because they’ve been to a dentist at one time who did indeed cause them pain.
For example, some patients tolerate the needle very well, and only feel slight discomfort. Other patients going to that same dentist may feel extreme discomfort from the needle. In this case, it’s a matter of having a Cosmetic Dentist in Keizer, OR that you can communicate well with, have a dentist who you feel comfortable with, and a dentist who is willing to apply a topical anesthetic first to the spot where he’ll give the needle.
Patients can think of themselves as medical consumers who have a right to ask questions about their medical care. When they make that initial appointment, there’s nothing wrong with asking a few questions like asking the staff if the dentist will apply a topical anesthetic first. Most dentists will; they don’t want their patients to be in pain. If the office is happy to answer questions, that can go a long way in alleviating anxiety.
If the patient feels that he or she is being listened to, and feels that the dentist and staff are attentive, that sense of empowerment by feeling like they have a say in their medical care can greatly reduce fear of going to the dentist. The Cosmetic Dentist in Keizer OR can also explain to the patient about the various forms of sedation that are available to keep the patient awake but completely relaxed and of course, pain-free during the entire visit.
