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Sleep Dentistry
Does dental fear or anxiety prevent you from seeking the dental care you need? Or perhaps you have a lengthy treatment scheduled that you’re hesitant to sit through? Don’t worry because sleep dentistry could be the best solution for you!
Also known as sedation dentistry, sleep dentistry offers pain-free, safe and effective solutions for patients suffering from dental anxiety or patients who need longer, complex treatments. With sleep dentistry, it’s now time for you to let go of your fears and get the dental care you truly need.
At With U Dental, we are committed to providing personalised solutions for all your dental needs. Combining sleep dentistry techniques with a warm and friendly team, you can trust us to help you overcome dental anxiety.
What is Sleep Dentistry?
Sleep dentistry techniques can transform how you perceive your dental visits and allow you to receive dental treatments without fear, anxiety, discomfort and pain. Simply put, it ensures a soothing and stress-free dental experience.
When it comes to sleep dentistry, there are three different levels of sedation that our dentist will administer based on your preferences and the complexity of your dental treatment. The three different levels of sedation are minimal, moderate and deep sedation.
Under minimal sedation, you will remain awake and conscious of your surroundings yet relaxed and calm. Taking it one step further is moderate sedation, where you will experience drowsiness. However, you will remain conscious. Finally, under deep sedation, you will feel completely relaxed and blissfully unaware of your surroundings.
What Causes Dental Anxiety?
Do you feel the anxiety creep in when it’s time for a dental visit? Faced by many, this condition can have a negative impact on your oral and overall health and well-being. This dental fear or anxiety can stem from various factors, such as:
- Negative or traumatic dental or other medical experiences in the past
- Fear of dental tools and the overall dental setting
- Fear of losing control
- Generalised anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder
- Anxiety associated with other conditions, such as agoraphobia, claustrophobia, etc.
At With U Dental, we have created a welcoming environment at our clinic to help you feel completely at ease during your dental visits. Our team is warm and friendly, whilst gentle in their approach to dentistry. We also have years of experience treating patients with dental anxiety in Hawthorn.
Types of Sleep Dentistry
Your comfort and peace of mind is our priority at With U Dental. That’s why we offer a range of sleep dentistry solutions to treat patients with dental anxiety.
Nitrous Oxide
Also known as laughing gas or happy gas, nitrous oxide is a colourless, odourless gas that you’ll gently inhale through a mask placed over your nose. Nitrous Oxide will not put you to sleep but will create a feeling of light-headedness and reduce your anxiety.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation is a pill-based approach to relieving your anxiety. These pills will induce a drowsy, relaxed, sleepy state to ensure comfort. Where needed, oral sedatives will be combined with nitrous oxide to provide deeper levels of sedation.
IV Sedation
This method of sedation involves injecting a sedative directly into the bloodstream. It offers a much deeper level of sedation, leaving you drowsy and unaware of your surroundings. So, if your anxiety levels are high, IV sedation is a good option.
The sedative levels can vary in strength and dosage allowing our skilled dentists to customise the level of sedation based on your needs and the complexity of the treatment.
General Anaesthesia
General anaesthesia is the best solution for you if your anxiety levels are extremely high and you have a low pain threshold. Under general anaesthesia, you’ll fall into a state of deep sleep and will awaken only once the procedure is complete and the effects begin to wear off.
Our team will take you through the available options and take into account all your concerns and preferences. Based on this information, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your unique case.
What are the Benefits of Sleep Dentistry?
With sleep dentistry, dental anxiety will no longer control your oral health. Sleep dentistry will help:
- Reduce fear and anxiety
- Improve your oral health through access to quality dental care
- Improve the level of patient comfort
- Control the gag reflex that can otherwise interrupt dental procedures
- Allows our dental professionals the ability to provide optimal dental care and treatment
- Helps reduce the perception of pain
- Sleep dentistry is beneficial for lengthy or complex treatments
- Sedation allows our dentist to work more efficiently, potentially completing multiple treatments in a single session.
If dental anxiety is keeping you from visiting the dentist, your risk of tooth decay and infection will significantly increase. Once an infection develops and is neglected, you may also experience other oral health problems such as gum disease, tooth loss, loss of jawbone and severe pain. Prevent the need for emergency treatments or painful dental conditions by getting quality dental care when you need it most.
Am I a Suitable Candidate for Sleep Dentistry?
While sleep dentistry is suitable for almost anybody who wishes to have a stress-free and comfortable dental experience, it’s ideal for patients who have:
- dental fear or anxiety
- a low threshold for pain
- a strong gag reflex
- heightened sensitivity
- to undergo complex dental procedures
- to undergo several treatments as sleep dentistry may help cover more treatments in a single visit
- developmental conditions that might make dental treatments challenging
Don’t forget that our team at With U Dental is always here to guide you through every step of the way. If you’re still unsure if sleep dentistry is right for you, please give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.
Why Choose With U Dental for Sleep Dentistry in HAWTHORN?
At With U Dental, it fills us with joy to see you receive the dental treatment you deserve comfortably and easily. However, we understand that dental fears and anxiety can hold you back from achieving optimal oral health and that beautiful smile you’ve always dreamed of. That’s why we offer sleep dentistry techniques performed by leading Hawthorn dentists, making quality and stress-free dental care accessible to even the most anxious of our patients.
When you trust With U Dental for your dental needs, you can also expect a comfortable experience that includes the following:
- a friendly and welcoming team who genuinely care for your well-being
- highly experienced Cardiothoracic Anaesthetic Professors from Melbourne and Monash Universities
- a state-of-the-art dental clinic equipped with the latest and safest GA (General Anaesthesia) machines
- a relaxing and welcoming environment. TVs with Netflix and Discover Channel, providing entertainment to help you relax. In addition, we also provide noise-cancelling headphones.
- a range of pain-free and gentle sedation options
- personalised treatment plans that address your unique dental needs
- a comprehensive range of affordable and accessible dental services with flexible payment options