Being scared of the dentist is not uncommon, but it should not be allowed to stop people getting the help they need. Most dentists, including your lovely team at Dental Implants Hampshire, appreciate that it can be scary to lie back in that chair with your mouth open while someone delves around in it with noisy instruments and lots of water. After all, we have to go to the dentist too.
As people who put in dental implants in Hampshire, we also appreciate that some of our patients have ended up having to have their teeth replaced because their fear of the dentist stopped them receiving treatment that could have saved their teeth. It’s a horrible catch 22 situation to be in – you’re scared so you miss your check-ups and don’t go for fillings, and then before you know it, your tooth has to come out.
If you leave gaps in your jaw, or even have dentures, your jawbone will shrink away and your facial structure will sag inwards. The most effective way to replace teeth is with dental implants in Hampshire. Unfortunately, there is no way round having to go through minor oral surgery to get them, but we can make it much easier to bear, perhaps even float through, by offering you sedation.
Easing you through implant treatment
Dental implant surgery takes place under local anaesthetic because there aren’t many nerve endings in the jawbone. This can be supplemented with oral or intravenous sedation.
Oral sedation means taking a tablet about an hour before surgery. You will be deeply relaxed through your treatment, but able to communicate easily.
Intravenous sedation is administered straight into the bloodstream via the back of the hand and the levels can be adjusted throughout the surgery. It does mean the use of needles, however. You will probably drift off with intravenous sedation, but if we need to communicate with you, you will be easy to rouse, and then you can drift off again. Afterwards, you are likely to be pretty groggy and unfit to drive, but as we always recommend getting someone to take our patients home after implant surgery anyway, this is not an extra requirement.