Tips From a Sleep Dentist On How To Ease Anxiety at Your Dental Appointment

If you have dental anxiety, also known as dental phobia, you should only see a sleep dentist. When you have dental anxiety, you know it is more than just a childlike fear of visiting the dentist. It is an intense, unreasonable, and unhealthy fear that can lead you to take any measures possible to avoid visiting the dentist. When your anxiety comes to this level, we, as a sleep dentist, can provide you with a calming environment where you won’t feel as apprehensive. Avoiding the dentist for any prolonged period of time is harmful to your teeth and your overall health. It could result in painful cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, and even the need for oral surgery. Instead of taking the risk of skipping the dentist altogether, you can try these tips in addition to visiting our office for dental sedation.
When you prepared for a dentist appointment in the past, you may have noticed that your nerves were on edge, you felt irritable or depressed, and you felt like you could not muster enough courage to step out the door. However, this time, it will be a little easier because you will know you are headed to see a sleep dentist. A sleep dentist, also known as a sedation dentist, features a relaxing environment during appointments and procedures by providing you with varying levels of sedatives. Although they are called sleep dentistry practices, they actually typically do not put you all the way to sleep. The differing levels of sedation that may be considered are:

• Minimal sedation.  You are in a relaxed stage, but you are also aware of your surroundings.
• Moderate sedation.  You feel heavy and sleepy and may slur when you talk, but you can still follow verbal orders from the dentist. In this stage, you may or may not remember your entire appointment.
• Deep sedation.  You are barely on the edge of consciousness, but you can be woken up if needed.
• General anesthesia.  You are completely unresponsive and asleep. This form of sedation is typically reserved for oral surgeries.

As your dentist, we will talk to you about your concerns and assess your level of dental anxiety to determine what scale of sedation is best for you.
In the meantime, you can prepare for your appointment by:

• Making a list of all the things you are anxious about to share with your dentist.
• Setting your appointment early in the morning so you are not required to wait. This will limit how long you agonize over the appointment.
• Bringing a friend or loved one to calm you.
• Bringing along your favorite reading materials or music to distract yourself while you wait to be sedated.
• Requesting oral sedatives that can be taken before your appointment and arrange for a driver to bring you in.

In addition to these tips, it is best to get to know our office and staff before your appointment so you will know you are with people you can trust and relax around. As a sleep dentist, we will help you conquer your fears and provide you with an environment you won’t be scared to come back to.

Options Available from an Implant Dentist

For an implant dentist, it is easy to understand how dental implants have made such a huge impact on all different forms and techniques of replacing teeth. In the modern world of dentistry, we use dental implants to support a variety of other techniques, including dentures. Dental implants have literally changed the way we look at replacing teeth, vastly improving the stability and security of devices like dentures and dental crowns.

Dentures Have Limitations 

Dentures have been around for a very long time; however, they have severe limitations. Dentures are placed on top of the gums, where the fake teeth have to be secured with the help of wires or messy adhesives. As a result, unsecured dentures tend to fall out very easily or don't feel secure when you are chewing harder substances. All these limitations have been addressed by the invention of implant-supported dentures.

Dental Implants Behave Like Natural Teeth

As your implant dentist, we will tell you that dental implants are so effective because they mimic, virtually perfectly, the natural order that teeth are supposed to exist in your mouth. The dentures, or the dental crowns, act as your teeth that you see above the gum line. The dental implant acts as the root securing the tooth to the jawbone and also providing the jawbone with necessary stimulation.

Implant-Supported Dentures

There are two distinct types of dentures that typically use dental implants. The first is a ball-retained denture, also known as a stud-attachment denture, where each of the implants placed by your implant dentist has a metal attachment that fits into another attachment on the denture itself. Attachments on the implants are typically ball-shaped, known as male attachments, and they fit into sockets, known as female attachments, on the denture itself. The second kind of dentures that can be placed with the help of dental implants are bar-retained dentures. In the case of bar-retained dentures, a thin metal bar, designed to follow the curve of your jaw, will be attached to between two and five dental implants that have been pre-planted by your implant dentist into your jawbone. The bar is attached to the denture with a series of clips. The denture fits snugly over the bar for additional stability, while also hiding the bar for better aesthetics.
Regardless of the type of dental implant-supported dentures you will be getting, the one thing you can rest easy knowing is that the dentures fitted on the implants placed by your implant dentist will be far more secure than traditional dentures. With the help of your implant dentist, you will have the ability to smile easily, chew on any food you want, and have the safety and security of having teeth that are fully attached, just as nature intended them to be.

Traditional Dental Implants

As an implant dentist, we can also replace your teeth on an individual basis by implanting a small titanium post under your gums in each position where your missing teeth once were.  Once the process of osseointegration has taken place, we will secure a new tooth to the abutment attached to your implant.  This completes the process and is the most natural and durable way to replace missing teeth because we will have effectively replaced your roots and teeth.
To learn more about your options, call our office and schedule an appointment with an implant dentist.

What You Can Expect from Laser Dentistry

We use laser dentistry to perform procedures in a more comfortable way. Laser dentistry has been around since 1994 and has been used to cure any number of dental problems. The FDA has approved many of the procedures done using laser dental technology.  This has resulted in a us being able to cure a number of different conditions with the help of modern technology. Virtually all lasers work the same way. They are designed to deliver energy, in the form of light, to a very specific area with pinpoint precision. When a laser is used in dental procedures, and particularly in surgical procedures, the laser acts like a cutting instrument replacing things like the scalpel and the drill. Instantly, what you have is a situation where there is significantly less trauma to the tissue that we are working on and even the tissue surrounding the area that the dentist is trying to remedy.  As a result, the American Dental Association states that it is cautiously optimistic about the role that laser technology will have in the field of dentistry for centuries to come.

Being that laser dentistry is not new, we find that it is now being used to treat a number of different dental problems from the mild to the cosmetic to the more severe dental maladies. However, most dentists still do not use lasers.  We do and are now able to treat things like tooth decay with lasers by removing the decay within the tooth and preparing the surrounding tooth structure to receive a filling without having to use things like a dental drill.  For patients who suffer from dental anxiety, the ability for us to do all of this with the help of an energy-producing light, instead of the dental drill, allows them to come in with a sense of confidence and not having to worry about the tools that need to be placed in their mouth. We also treat things like gum disease with laser dentistry. Lasers can be used to reshape the gums and even remove bacteria which is taken out during the standard root canal therapy.  In other words, you can come in for a root canal procedure and never have to deal with the drill or some of the other tools that caused so much anxiety. This has allowed us to truly advance root canal therapy and other necessary treatment options for patients who have an extreme fear of dental procedures. In fact, laser dentistry is also being used for biopsies and lesion removal. Lasers can remove an extremely small piece of tissue, called a biopsy so that it can be examined for oral cancer. At the same time, dental laser technology is also being used to remove lesions from the mouth and relieve the pain of common problems like canker sores.

Whether you were using laser dentistry to have your teeth whitened or you are using laser dentistry to have a cavity removed, you can come in assured that we are going to preserve the health of the tooth itself, the teeth around it, minimize bleeding and swelling, protect the soft tissue, and all while reducing the anxiety that occurs with use of regular dental tools. In fact, it has been found that laser dentistry causes less discomfort in many instances, and so reduces the need for using anesthesia. Call our office today to enjoy more comfortable dental treatments.

What You Can Learn from a Periodontist Office

A periodontist is a special kind of dentist who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating periodontal disease and also in the placement of dental implants. As a periodontist office, we are experts in the treatment of all forms of gum inflammation, bleeding gums, and other problems often associated with or found before the advent of, gum disease or periodontal disease.  While many things can lead to periodontal disease,  we find that there are some basic steps that people can take that can help them prevent periodontal disease and a milder form of gum disease known as gingivitis. In order for people to be able to prevent these kinds of occurrences, they need to be on the lookout for certain signs and symptoms that may indicate the need for specialized treatment.

You might not always need to seek out a periodontist because you are experiencing some bleeding in your gums. Bleeding gums tend to be an early warning sign that something may be more seriously wrong with your teeth. About 90% of the population occasionally experiences bleeding gums. Typically this happens when a person is brushing or flossing and can lead to a little bit of inflammation.  If you are experiencing inflammation in your gums more often than not, it is definitely a sign that you need to see your dentist. Bleeding gums, and inflamed gums can definitely be a sign of a disease called gingivitis, which is quite a common occurrence. In between 10% and 15% of cases of gingivitis, people tend to develop a more serious form of the disease called periodontitis.

Being a periodontist office means that we come in contact with people who have had severe repercussions from having periodontal disease. If you have gingivitis, even if it in its early stages, you need to seek out your dentist so that you can find solutions to your gingivitis before evolves into periodontitis. If periodontal disease is left untreated it will continue to get worse and eventually will lead to things like gum recession, bone loss, and eventually the loss of your teeth. In order to avoid this, the best thing to do is let your dentist or dental hygienist know that you are having bleeding of the gums, or inflammation of the gums on a regular basis so that they can examine your teeth to check the spaces between your teeth and your gums. As soon as you let your dentist or dental hygienist know that you are experiencing inflammation of the gums or bleeding of the gums, they will use a small hand-held instrument called a periodontal probe to check the spaces between your teeth and your gums with let them know if you have gum disease, gingivitis, or are on the way to having periodontal disease and need to be referred to a periodontist.

We note that are several factors that can influence the actual health of your gums. While there is always the possibility of the presence of gum disease including the formation of pus in deep pockets under the gums, this is typically caused when the gum tissue has been separated from the teeth. These deep pockets, where the gum has separated from the teeth, can have a harmful bacteria and will need to be treated as soon as possible. What you need to remember is that effective brushing and flossing has the most impact on the health of your gums.

If You Hate Surgery, Try Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation for Your Gums

We offer patients the innovative Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation therapy because this is the best modern way to treat receding gums. We understand that most people do not want surgery on their gums or anywhere else. It is uncomfortable, to say the least, and can be downright painful. Even when anesthesia is used during the procedure, there is the recovery to worry about and the complications that come with it. With traditional gum surgery, for example, there are incisions and sutures. Given how completely sensitive gum tissue is, this can be problematic and lead to a recovery time that is far from pleasant. For this reason, many people put off having their receding gums treated for far too long. The good news is that you don’t have to.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation Is the Better Way

Regardless of whether you can’t stand the idea of surgery, have dental anxiety, or simply want a better way to correct your gums, Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is the answer. In spite of the name, this is not traditional surgery, so to speak — far from it. Your gums will not be cut open, and there will be no need for sutures. This is because we only make a small hole in the gum tissue. We can then insert an instrument and gently nudge the gums back into place. The process must be done by a highly trained dentist in our office, but the procedure itself is rather simple by comparison to traditional surgery. As a patient, you will experience significant benefit from choosing this option, including:

• Comfortable procedure
• No to very little swelling
• No bleeding
• Fast recovery time
• Gums that look better right away
• No need to take days off work
• Get back to eating quickly
• No significant restrictions

For anyone who has a busy schedule and is worried about needing to take time off work, this is certainly the best solution. Traditional gum surgery takes time to complete, but that is not the real challenge, the recovery is. Your gums will look quite swollen, and your discomfort may preclude you from being able to return to work right away. This is why most people take a few days off. With our procedure, this is unnecessary because while you may have slight irritation for a couple of days, it will be incredibly minor and nothing that would warrant changing your schedule. This means you can keep up with your plans and not have to put off improving your health.

Why Treating Your Gums Is Necessary

Receding gums must be taken seriously because they can expose your teeth and jawbone to the risk of infection, decay, and erosion. Gum disease is such a serious issue, the majority of adults suffering from tooth loss due so because of gum disease. We can treat this condition right away so your gums can return to good health and can begin protecting your teeth again. Given how convenient Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is, there is no need to delay.

LANAP Dentistry: A Better Way to Treat Your Gums

If you are suffering from gum disease, LANAP dentistry is an excellent way to treat the condition. As a dentist, we use modern and innovative solutions to treat our patients and to solve their oral health problems. You could continue visiting a dentist that only uses traditional dental tools but that would be like typing a letter on an old typewriter instead of sending an email. Technology makes things better and easier.  It’s that simple.

LANAP Dentistry is the Solution You Have Been Looking for

If you have gum disease but also have dental anxiety or are fearful of having your gums cut open, you are like many people that simply avoid treating their teeth and gums for fear of how it may feel or how the treatment will go. We understand. The gums are sensitive and no one wants to have them cut into or pulled back for a cleaning. Essentially any treatment that irritates the gums will be uncomfortable, regardless of how good your dentist is. With that reality in mind, it is equally important to acknowledge that there is a solution.

With LANAP there is –

    No Cutting
    No Sutures
    More Comfort
    Fast Recovery Times

Old vs. New – The Process

If you have gum disease, you can schedule an appointment for a deep cleaning or root planing procedure with your family dentist. Using traditional dental tools, your gums will need to be pulled back so that the plaque and tartar under them can be scraped away. Naturally, this is going to be incredibly uncomfortable and while you will be under anesthesia for the actual procedure, you will feel the results of the deep cleaning for days. The good news is that you do not have to experience any discomfort by simply switching to a modern solution. With LANAP dentistry, we are using lasers to remove the built up plaque and tartar. This subtle and gentle approach allows us to eliminate the irritants without irritating your infected gums even further. In fact, you may feel nothing at all.

Signs That You Could Benefit From LANAP

It is important to watch for signs of gum disease because this is a leading cause of adult tooth loss. The early stages of gum disease (Gingivitis) can be somewhat uncomfortable but not severely so. This leads many people to simply ignore the problem and to avoid visiting the dentist. Unfortunately, regardless of how inconvenient it seemed, life does catch up with you and so does gum disease. As the condition worsens you could experience additional decay, loose teeth, bleeding and swollen gums, painfully irritated gums and even gum recession.  All of these are common issues and easy to detect. If you do, call our office and schedule an appointment so that we can examine you right away and provide the treatment you need to get on the road to better oral health. In this situation, time is of the essence to ensure that your teeth do not become infected, so call right away.

Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation: Why You Want this Procedure

We provide patients with Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation, a modern way to treat gum disease. If you are suffering from gum disease or gum recession, you should visit our dental office right away so we can examine and treat you. The health of your gums is critical to the overall health of your mouth, so once they become diseased, you are likely to suffer additional infections, more tooth decay, and discomfort in general. If left untreated, gum recession can also lead to infected roots, loose teeth, and even tooth loss. In general, this is problematic, but few realize how significantly gum disease can impact their teeth. Studies have found that the majority of those suffering from adult tooth loss also suffered from gum disease, so the two are very much connected.

Start With a Deep Cleaning

If you have gum disease, you need to begin your treatment course by removing what is causing the disease in the first place: plaque and tartar. When it becomes trapped under your gums, plaque will irritate them to the point of causing your gums to bleed, become swollen and inflamed, and even recede. Removing the plaque with a deep cleaning will allow your gums to begin to heal. Traditional dentist offices do this using metal dental tools. We, however, find this to be uncomfortable and invasive, so we use laser dentistry instead. This is a far more comfortable and convenient way to eliminate the built-up plaque.

Restore Your Gum Tissue Using Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation

Once clean, it will be time to restore your gum tissue. If it has already begun to recede or pockets have been created in the gum tissue, you may need to take drastic measures. Typically, this is done by suturing tissue from the roof of your mouth or a separate tissue donor to your existing gums. Once the gums are augmented, they can be secured back around the tooth or teeth so they are protected once more. This process is important for protecting your roots and the base of the tooth, but it is uncomfortable, even painful. During the procedure, you will be given anesthesia, but you will be incredibly sore afterward and for several days.

We leverage technology to provide you with a better way to restore your gums. Pinhole Surgical Rejuvenation is the best way to do so because we do not need to do any cutting or suturing. This is a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure that allows you to receive the results you need without pain or discomfort — a true win/win. The procedure works by making small pinhole size holes in the gum tissue and then inserting a special tool that is so small and tiny, you will barely feel anything. We can then stimulate the gums and nudge them back in the right position. The gum tissue responds incredibly well to the procedure and will start to protect your teeth and roots like it should. The results are dramatic when you consider that your gums can be restored without the use of surgery. To learn more about the process, call our office and schedule a consultation.