Do you find yourself fading into the background at social events? Are you overlooked at meetings or in groups of people? Have you noticed that you don’t smile in photos? Are you uncomfortable eating, drinking or speaking because your teeth aren’t their best? Do you look at the beautiful smiles of those around you and wish you could have a similar smile?
When we meet someone for the first time, our smiles are often the first thing anyone notices. If your smile is less than its best, if it’s stained or unsightly, you could be making a bad first impression. These first impressions, whether valid or not, stick with people. A hesitant smile can signal low self-confidence or unhappiness. You could be projecting ill health or a lack of prosperity. Do you look friendly to others, or off-putting?
When you are confident about your smile, you can feel free to smile openly at others or for the camera. You can be more at ease about speaking up in public or at meetings at work. Don’t be stressed about that upcoming presentation or oral report. If you talk to your dentist today, you can begin enjoying the advantages a beautiful and bright smile can bring, beginning with your own self-confidence.
Talking to a cosmetic dentist can begin a path toward a short goal such as teeth whitening, or it can lead you to an orthodontist for alignment issues and orthodontia. Flaws such as cracks, chips or malformation can be easily corrected using resin composite materials. Larger problems such as tooth gaps or missing teeth can be corrected using dental implants or dental bridges. You might be suited for porcelain dental veneers for your therapy, or you may need a crown or two.
Your cosmetic dentist can help you plan for your dream smile. Your treatment might take one or two visits, or it might be ongoing, but beginning this smile makeover journey will never be something you regret. Begin enjoying the advantages a bright smile can bring you, both socially and professionally.
If you need a dentist in Longview contact us today
You may have heard of cosmetic dentistry, but are unsure of how that branch of dentistry can help you. There are many reasons to visit a cosmetic dentist! Just about anyone who is embarrassed or unhappy about their smile can find options for improvement through a cosmetic dentist. A wide variety of procedures and treatments are available for a long list of things that you may dislike about your smile.
Restored smile
Cosmetic dentists can restore the appearance and function of your smile. Gaps, crooked teeth, chips, cracks, discoloration and more can be repaired to give you a flawless new look and renewed self-confidence.
Youthful appearance
The older you get, the greater your chances are of problems like lost or yellowed teeth. Gaps in your smile make you look older, and can even change your face shape as it sinks in around the area of tooth loss. Cosmetic procedures can restore your youth through dental procedures.
Whiter teeth
Dull, yellow, stained teeth from years of consuming dark foods or from tobacco use can make your smile unsightly. There’s no need to hide your smile, because professional teeth whitening is available through cosmetic dentists. It can dramatically improve your appearance in only an hour’s time.
Fresh breath
Various dental issues can contribute to stinky mouth odor. Cosmetic dentistry helps take care of oral health problems to give you a better chance at fresh breath.
Healthier gums
Irritated, swollen, or bleeding gums are both painful and unsightly. Poor dental hygiene or even brushing with excessive pressure can promote gum problems. Cosmetic dentists can diagnose gum issues and help restore them to a healthier condition.
Schedule your appointment at our Longview dental office
Fear and anxiety shouldn’t keep you from attaining a gorgeous, healthy smile. Modern advances allow dentists to keep patients relaxed and comfortable. With sedation dentistry, patients who experience nervousness can receive the care they need.
Who should consider sedation dentistry?
While anyone can request sedation options during dental treatment, certain people can experience great benefit from this process, including individuals who:
- Can’t handle the sounds and smells of a dental office
- Have difficulty getting numb
- Need extensive repair work
- Suffer from a strong gag reflex
- Went through a dental trauma in the past
What sedation options are available?
Patients who want to relax during dental treatment have several choices:
- Nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, creates a feeling of peacefulness during your procedure. Patients breathe the gas through a mask over the nose, so the effects disappear once the nitrous oxide is turned off.
- Oral sedation often combines nitrous oxide with a dose of anti-anxiety medication. With oral sedation, patients feel very relaxed and calm while in the dental chair. A responsible adult must accompany you to and from the dentist’s office because the sedative can stay in your system for up to 24 hours.
- IV sedation is the deepest level of relaxation offered by most dentists. Medication is administered intravenously for maximum benefit.
Is sedation dentistry safe?
Absolutely. Throughout the procedure, the dental team will monitor your vitals and make sure you are comfortable. Patients will still be able to respond to any questions, but remember little about the actual procedure.
Will I be unconscious during my appointment?
With sedation dentistry, patients are actually awake but completely relaxed. And unlike general anesthesia, patients breathe without the use of tubes under dental sedation.
Sedation dentist in Longview
If you experience fear about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Studies show that about 50% of adults experience some level of fear about dental visits, with 5% of those suffering from severe anxiety. However, patient’s wishes for a nice smile and good oral health allow them to overcome their fears and visit their dentist in spite of their qualms.
These are some techniques that many patients use that enable them to get through their dental appointments successfully:
- Using internal resources – telling yourself you can do it even though you are nervous
- Prayer – relying on a higher power to help you through the treatment
- Self distraction – singing to yourself or playing mental games to keep your mind off of what’s happening
- Distancing – convincing yourself that any pain feels like something else, such as numbness
- Optimism – focusing on what’s ahead after your appointment is over
In fact, optimism seems to be one of the biggest keys to overcoming your dental fears. Patients who use this method have been shown to visit the dentist more regularly than other patients who suffer from anxiety about dental treatment. Studies also reveal that humor is another important part of dealing with dental visits. Humor can break down psychological barriers, and allow the patient to feel more comfortable in their interactions with the dentist and staff. An atmosphere of humor tends to reduce stress and increase a sense of well-being and satisfaction in a potentially nervous situation.
However, if none of these techniques work for you, sedation dentistry is a option to consider. At Scott Distefano, DDS we offer a variety of sedation options.
Whatever methods you implement to help you through your dental visit, the most important thing is sticking with it and returning again for your next visit. Your dental health is dependant upon regular dentist’s care.
Dentist in Longview for patients with dental phobias.
If you are about to undergo a dental therapy that necessitates the use of sedation dentistry, especially IV sedation, there are definitely some important questions you should ask your dentist prior to the procedure. Remembering to ask these questions can be difficult, especially if you are feeling anxious or ill at ease with regard to the treatment.
Use this guide to give you some of the most important questions you might not have thought of or remembered to ask:
- What type of sedation will I be receiving?
- What risk factors – even rare ones – are associated with this type of sedation?
- How long will the treatment take, and during how much of that time will I be sedated?
- How will the sedation be administered?
- Who will give me the sedation and monitor it during my treatment?
- What safety measures do you have in place in case of any medical emergency?
- What would happen in the case of a cardiac emergency or a seizure?
- Who is trained in CPR and other life-saving skills?
- What kind of preparations do I need to make prior to my treatment?
- Should someone accompany me to be present during the treatment?
- How soon following treatment will I feel awake and alert?
- May I drive myself home afterward?
- What kind of pain can I expect after my treatment?
- How will I manage my discomfort?
- What kind of aftercare does my particular treatment require?
- What signs should I look for that would lead me to contact you for a follow-up?
Talk to Longview sedation dentist Dr. DiStefano to get the answers to questions like these and any others you may have prior to receiving sedation dentistry.
If you avoid getting dental care because of the anxiety and fear of going to the dentist, you are not alone. It is estimated that forty million Americans don’t seek regular dental care because they are uncomfortable or afraid of going. Sedation dentistry has been developed to manage the pain and anxiety of dental visits, while still providing patients with the ability to respond to verbal commands and physical stimulation.
Here are some guidelines to help you determine if sedation dentistry might help you:
• You are fearful about dental instruments and procedures.
• Local anesthetics have not had a numbing effect on you in the past.
• Your gag reflex is overly sensitive.
• You have a fear of shots or needles.
• The noises, tastes, and odors associated with dentistry bother you a great deal.
• You have extremely sensitive teeth.
• Your dental problems are complicated, or you need to have several procedures in a single visit.
• You have experienced traumatic dental experiences in the past.
• Health issues such as neck or back pain or TMJ make it uncomfortable for you to sit in the dentist’s chair or open your mouth for extended periods.
Putting off dental care is not recommended because it can result in more serious problems or invasive procedures later. If some of the characteristics above describe you, consult your dentist about ways to help you relax and become more comfortable with checkups. Sedation dentistry techniques like IV, oral, or inhaled sedation may be just what you need to allow you to confidently seek dental care on a regular basis.
If you live in the Longview area contact us today
