Answers To Commonly Asked Questions
About Sedation

Q: I am nervous about having periodontal treatment done.
What options are available?

Patients that are referred to a periodontal office are generally a little nervous. This is normal.

However, many patients are extremely anxious with respect to periodontal treatment.

How many?

Surveys indicate 1 in every 3 three patients are highly anxious with respect to their dental treatment.

 Patients report many reasons for their anxiety:

• They have had a bad experience in the past.
• They are worried that they have left things too long.
• Their teeth are very sensitive and they are worried they will experience discomfort at some point during the appointment.
• They are needle-phobic (a fear of needles).
• They are difficult to freeze.
• They are gaggers.
• They have difficulty keeping their mouth open for extended periods.
• They are afraid of the unknown.

Unfortunately, like heart disease, periodontal disease does not resolve on its own and it is silent. Thus, periodontal disease must be treated and it is imperative to offer this treatment comfortably.

Our staff and facility are equipped to treat dental phobic individuals. We see, on a daily basis, a range of people from those who are slightly anxious to those who are so phobic that they cry upon entering the office and cannot tolerate even someone looking into their mouth. We offer the spectrum of anaesthetic services.

We are keenly aware of the needs of our special patients and we do everything we can to make our patients as comfortable and relaxed as possible. We listen to what the patient says their needs are and this, we hope, goes a long way to make them comfortable. Once someone obtains the degree of control that they desire, some of the anxiety goes away and patients are at least able to make an appointment for the first step.

Many patients with dental anxiety wish to be deeply sedated and choose intravenous sedation to completely relax them during their dental visit.

Intravenous sedation is a technique that relaxes the patient and from the patient’s perspective, makes the dental appointment go extremely quickly. It is recommended for anxious patients or long procedures (periodontal surgery, implants, bone grafts, etc.)

How Intravenous Sedation Works:

The day of your appointment you are required to arrange for a companion to bring you to and from the facility. Once you arrive at the facility, you will be escorted to a special room that is designed to make you comfortable. You will relax in an easy chair. The Registered Nurse will address any questions you have, give you some medication and monitor you as you begin to feel very relaxed, carefree and happy.

Most patients sleep through the appointment and cannot recall the experience. It is unlikely you will remember anything about your visit and time will “fly by”!

The sedation will allow the procedure to be performed without you worrying about gagging, keeping your mouth open, or any of the many concerns we have when someone is working on us. The procedure also goes more efficiently, thus minimizing the total amount of time you will spend in the dental chair. A relaxed patient allows the provision of care in a very relaxed environment. To render the procedure as comfortable as possible, in addition to the intravenous sedation, profound topical anesthetics and local anesthetics are also used after you have been sedated .

After surgery, you will be prescribed medication to make you as comfortable as possible when you get home. Suffice it to say that before, during and after surgery, we truly share your concern for your well being.  Beyond that, though, we have the training, the knowledge and the experience to make your visit as pleasant and comfortable as it possibly can be.

The key is taking that first step and walking into the office. Once you take this first step, it is highly likely that you will find it is not nearly as scary as you thought.

So, if you fall into this category of the deathly fearful or are too busy for multiple appointments, having all your periodontal treatment completed in one or two sessions may be the answer.

Q: Am I a candidate for intravenous sedation?

Intravenous sedation is especially useful for adult patients who:

• Have high anxiety about dental visits
• Have had traumatic dental experiences in the past
• Have difficulty getting numb
• Have a phobia of needles
• Have a strong gag reflex
• Have TMJ (Temporal Mandibular Joint) troubles and cannot open their mouth for extended periods
• Have sensitive teeth
• Hate the noises and/or smells associated with dental care
• Do not have the time for multiple visits

Q: Will I need someone to come with me to my appointment?

Yes. Your companion must drive you to our office for your appointment and return you home afterwards. During the actual procedure, your companion is free to stay, or leave and come back to pick you up at the end of the procedure.

A final note, Dr. Fritz likes to listen to relaxing music while he works so if you have a favourite CD, please bring it along and we will play it as you drift away!