Eliminate anxiety with sedation dentistry from your Indianapolis dentist

Dental anxiety is a very real and potentially serious condition. An estimated 75 percent of American adults are thought to have some type of dental fear. There are many terms for the condition, ranging from mild to serious, including odontophobia, dentophobia, dentist phobia, or dental phobia. 

Some patients experience slight apprehension when visiting the dentist. Those with more extreme dental stress may avoid seeking professional dental care at all costs. The cause of these fears may be direct or indirect. 

Direct experience, the most common reason for dental anxiety, occurs when a patient has personally had a traumatic or painful interaction with a dental professional. 

Indirect experiences may develop for various reasons, such as:

• Stereotyping of dental professionals in the mass media, including depictions of painful procedures.
• “White coat syndrome” resulting from a prior negative experience with any healthcare provider or institution that is triggered in any clinical setting.
• Second hand stories from another individual who has had an uncomfortable dental experience.
• Perceived lack of control, particularly for patients who may have a sensitive gag reflex, discomfort in close spaces, or confinement issues.

Dr. Matthew Church and our friendly team at Washington Street Dentistry understand that our patients may have varying levels of anxiety. We are committed to providing patient-centered care. We involve patients in their treatment plans, and offer a state-of-the-art, welcoming, and comfortable setting. Our goal is to make each patient, from children to mature adults, feel relaxed and safe. 

With convenient hours and organized appointment management, we seek to reduce the stress in our patients’ busy lives. Using advanced technologies, such as digital imaging, an intraoral camera, rotary endodontics, and diagnodent, we are able to diagnose and treat patients with more comfort.

For patients who require extensive dental procedures or who have dental anxiety, we offer two forms of sedation dentistry at our office in Indianapolis:

• Nitrous oxide – also called laughing gas. Sedation is inhaled through a mask over the patient’s nose. The gas provides a feeling of relaxation and overall wellbeing, which wears off quickly when the mask is removed.
• Oral sedation – a prescription medication in the form of a pill, usually similar to valium. Oral conscious sedation allows a patient to feel calm and slightly sleepy during treatment.

A comprehensive consultation with Dr. Church will determine which sedation option is the best. Appointments may be requested online or by calling (317) 333-6788.

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