Nervous patients

Nervous or worried about dental treatment?

Being nervous or scared about going to the dentist affects people in different ways. Some are anxious about specific aspects of dental treatment. Others dislike being in such close contact with someone that they don't know very well.

Some people have had unpleasant experiences as children, and are frightened that these will be repeated.

There are also different levels of dental anxiety, ranging from slight nervousness to phobia (when someone knows that their intense fear is excessive and unreasonable). However anxious a person is, there are ways of dealing with the problem, one step at a time.

Dentists are aware that some patients are anxious, and are trained to take your fears seriously and deal with them sensitively.

Distraction techniques

It is sometimes helpful to distract attention away from the treatment.You can do this in a number of ways:

• listen to music on a personal stereo or watch a DVD
• concentrate on relaxing each part of your body in turn
• think about something you are looking forward to.
• practise deep, slow breathing.

Oral sedation

This type of sedation involves swallowing sedative tablets approximately 45 minutes before dental treatment. All the DOs and DON’Ts for Intravenous sedation also apply to Oral Sedation and you’ll also need an escort to take you home.

Intravenous sedation

Is dental sedation for you?

Being afraid, or being scared of the Dentist, is an age old recognised and legitimate fear, sometimes called a “phobia”.

We, at James Hull Associates, understand this very well and are specially trained to alleviate your anxiety.

We use a technique of conscious sedation which is safe and comfortable and can control fear, pain and anxiety. In the past, hospital type general anaesthetics were used by dentists, but these procedures carried with them a small but significant risk to the patient. Therefore, wisely, it was decided to confine the use of general anaesthetics to hospitals.

Sedation is a simple technique that has an effect that is pleasant and will remove any worries or fears you may have. You will feel very relaxed and will probably fall into a natural sleep.

The sedative effect lasts about one and a half hours, but you will feel as if your time with us was much shorter.

It is uncommon to have sickness or nausea after the sedation and, if accompanied, you can go home immediately after the treatment. You might experience amnesia.

You will be asked to complete a sedation questionnaire, which your dentist will complete with you on the day of treatment and ask you to sign. This acts as your consent form for us to carry out the sedation treatment.

Our clinical team is qualified to carry out your sedation and all attend regular courses to ensure we are able to offer you the most up to date and effective treatment available today.

Most people are suitable for sedation. Healthy people and people on certain medication can have sedation after a comprehensive check by our dentists. Exceptions are those who are pregnant, children under 16 or those who suffer from a serious physical disease.

For oral surgery and more complex treatment, we offer a combination of local anaesthetic and sedation.

Sedation is available for any kind of treatment you may require.

How is it done?

We will give you more information, answer your questions and show you what we intend to do.

A baby size Teflon cannula will be placed in your vein on the hand or in the arm and medication will be administered to bring you into a ‘twilight zone’ where pain and fear are not reality anymore. You become drowsy and unaware of the dentist or the treatment, but you will be able to co-operate with the surgeon and maintain your own protective reflexes at all times. The sedation can be prolonged until the planned treatment is done. Local anaesthesia is often also used to control pain after the procedure.

What then?

During the procedure you may be asked to co-operate with the surgeon to test your bite or to open your mouth. You will not remember any of this.
You will not snore or disgrace yourself when under sedation. You will not lose ‘control’, as you are under control of your breathing, swallowing and coughing at all times and can move to stay comfortable.
After the procedure you will be escorted to a recovery area and will soon be able to go home accompanied by your escort.

You may be drowsy for an hour or two after the procedure.

What to do and not to do

Do:

• Eat normally on the day of sedation
• Have someone to collect you after the procedure
• Take the rest of the day off

Don’t:

• Drink alcohol before the procedure
• Sign Legal documents after the procedure
• Drive a car, ride a bicycle or operate machinery
• Do any strenuous exercise for the rest of the day

You should go home with your escort and relax or sleep until the effect of the medication has worn off.

Healozone

Introducing a new revolution which is changing the face of dentistry

What is Ozone?

Ozone is a form of oxygen. All oxygen is a gas; that fresh, clean smell that you find at high altitudes and after thunderstorms is ozone. It is an atmospheric protection against harmful sunlight and present all around us in the air we breathe. Ozone is named after the Greek word Ozein, to smell.

What is Ozone used for?

Ozone is a natural biocide, which effectively kills bacteria, viruses and fungi within seconds. It is used in various areas including hospitals and public place to control infections and smells.

Due to its bactericidal, fungicidal and virostatic properties ozone is used widely in disinfecting wounds and killing diseases caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses.

The technology utilises the direct application of ozone to the decayed tooth surface in a controlled manner through use of the HealOzone system and is capable of potentially reversing decay. Ozone kills the bacteria, arresting the further development of decay.

Please note, if a hole is present ozone treatment will not re-grow the tooth tissue and a traditional restoration may be needed, however this will be much smaller than if ozone had not been used.

How does ozone work?

Ozone works by identifying and breaking up the cell walls of bacteria, viruses and fungi, and breaking up sulphur compounds into non-smelling compounds.

What are the advantages?

• no need for anaesthetic by injection
• no drilling
• no long treatment sessionsHow can ozone help my teeth?

With the use of a small laser, called the DIAGNOdent, we can look at the surface of your teeth to identify decay. The DIAGNOdent detects changes in the mineral and crystal composition of the dentine, which affects the density of the tooth, this gives us an idea of whether decay is present and if so, how much. A special handpiece with a soft plastic cup is then used to apply ozone onto the decayed area. It is a short, simple and painless procedure. There are no injections or drilling, avoiding any damage to your tooth.

We also recommend a special toothpaste and mouth rinse to encourage the tooth’s remineralising process. These products contain all the essential minerals that your body needs to repair decay. Regular use of the home kit encourages the success of your ozone treatment.

How do I know that the treatment has worked?

You will need to return for a further appointment after 2 to 3 months, in most cases, or sometimes sooner when recommended, to check that the lesion is healing. Current research shows that in over 80% of cases, the decay has been stopped or reversed.

Do I feel anything?

HealOzone treatment is entirely painless, with no invasive treatment required.

What are the alternatives?

The alternatives to ozone are traditional treatment methods, some of which may have been offered to you previously. These are:

• Fissure sealant and air abrasion that is the least invasive of the traditional methods.
• The tooth can be made numb with an injection, the decay drilled out and then the hole filled
• Doing nothing and risking further decay and pain which is inevitable
• Having the tooth removed completely, rarely a recommended option

A revolutionary new technology for the safe and effective, pain-free treatment of dental decay with ozone.

Dietary Advice

In order to ensure successful treatment it is important to make sure that you follow a healthy diet, and where possible exclude foods with high level of sugar and acid. This includes avoiding all carbonated drinks, which lead to decay.

You should brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, or as recommended by your dentist. Your dentist may recommend use of the specialist HealOzone toothpaste and mouth rinse as these include high levels of minerals to encourage faster remineralistation.

For more information about HealOzone and which practices offer this revolutionary treatment please call our Freephone 0800 107 1950