Todd was a new patient at our practice. Like many new patients, Todd had a fear of dental procedures and dentists in general, often referred to as “dental phobia”. I assured Todd that he was not alone in experiencing these fears and then tried to find out a bit more about Todd’s history and why he was so fearful.

As he discussed his fears he related a story of negative childhood experiences with a dentist he considered to be a less than compassionate practitioner. As he spoke, Todd lost the “deer in the headlights” look he had when he first came into the practice. Making patients feel at ease with me and the setting is our goal and the first step to controlling and eliminating these fears. Todd was responding positively to having his own feelings taken into account.

We discussed how Sedation Dentistry provides many options for fearful patients. Sedation treatments such as Inhalation, Oral, and IV (Intravenous) Sedation can provide an anxiety-free experience from beginning to end. There are many factors to take into account when choosing your best sedation option, and everyone reacts differently to different types of sedation. At Los Gatos Sedation Dentistry we match the needs of the patient with the correct treatment or combination of treatments. Todd also began to understand that delaying dental treatment because of his fears could lead to neglected oral care and long-term problems that would ultimately become difficult and costly to repair.

Todd was happy to learn that a controlled and regulated approach to the chosen level of sedation would allow me to monitor his comfort throughout the duration of his treatment, ensuring that the post-procedure experience would leave him feeling refreshed and renewed. Through Sedation Dentistry at Los Gatos Cosmetic Dentist, Todd finally found a way to feel confident and happy about taking positive steps to ensure his oral health.