Halloween is almost here, and lots of people like to dress up as something scary to celebrate.
If you one of them, you could be a ghoul. You could be a ghost or a goblin.
But if you really want to scare some people, then you might want to dress as a dentist.
Dental anxiety or fear of the dentist affects roughly 1 in 11 people in the United States, and that’s based on conservative estimates. Knowing this, we are making a real effort to make dental care more relaxing for our patients in and around Fort Myers and North Naples, FL.
This starts with the compassion you’ll feel every member of our team from the time you walk in the door until you visit with George A. Hoop, DDS.
Below, we want to discuss some of the things we do that have helped several patients feel more at east having their teeth cleaned by us. To experience them in person, call (239) 594-8817 to set up an appointment with our team.
Advanced Technology
In our previous post, we discuss our CBCT X-ray machine. This makes three-dimensional images that help us diagnose problems better than ever.
But technology can also improve your experience at our office.
For example, many people are worried about gagging when they visit the dentist. One of the reasons for that is impression trays. Most people can recall biting down on a tray filled with goo while trying not to gag.
If you come to our office, you won’t have to worry about that. We use an intraoral scanner instead. This allows us to make digital impressions — no gag-worthy gooey trays required.
Another great example is our dental lasers. This makes treatment of periodontal problems as well as cosmetic gum reshaping simpler for you. With the laser was can gently remove gum tissue without a scalpel. This usually means no stitches are needed, and it reduces your recovery time as well.
Stop Worrying & Try Sedation Dentistry
For patients with stronger anxiety, there are other options. Dental sedation has been used for a long time to block pain. It also has an added benefit of helping to ease your mind.
At Dr. Hoop’s offices, we offer two kinds of sedation.
Inhaled sedation, which no may know better as laughing gas, has been used for more than 150 years in dental care. Today, we have a much better understanding of how to use it to give you the maximum pain-blocking and anxiety stopping benefits.
The effects both take effect and wear off quickly.
Oral sedation is a little stronger. This involves taking medication prior to your appointment. It also blocks pain and reduces anxiety. The effects can last for a few hours, so you will need someone else to take you home if you choose this option.
One Step at a Time
We wish we could wave a magic wand and make dental anxiety disappear. The truth is it takes a little bit of patience and some trust to overcome your fear of the dentist. Yet, we are confident that you can do it, and we will be happy to help.
Just call (239) 594-8817 or contact us online to learn more or to request an appointment at either of our locations.