No More Dental Fear! Read This Message From Our Burke, VA Dentist

“I hate going to the dentist.”

I hear that line nearly every week. I’ve come to not take this personally at all. It’s part of my job to be understanding. I understand that no one looks forward to a dental visit — or dental work. But the thing I have noticed is that people who hate the dentist have spent lengthy times away from the dental office, have dental problems, or had a bad experience earlier in their lives. These are all reasons to be nervous about a visit to the dentist.

However, my job is to, first and foremost, help you relax in the dental chair. After that, we can work on ways to fix your smile.

So, today I want to share some ways we can get you comfortable and help you achieve the smile of your dreams.

The Truth About Dental Fear

Dental fear is one of the most powerful forces we dentists combat. About 20 percent of Americans struggle with dental anxiety or dental fear. A few million of those people avoid the dentist at all costs. We dentists know that everyone visits the dentist eventually, but our goal is to see you before you are in pain or struggling with advanced dental problems. I’ve found that people have dental fear for various reasons, and each reason is legitimate. That’s right. You will never hear me say that your dental fear is not legitimate. Here are a few of the most common reasons patients fear the dentist:

• Fear of pain. No one wants to experience dental pain. I understand, which is why we have implemented minimally invasive procedures like soft-tissue lasers. I also work with each patient to see what they are comfortable with.
• Fear of needles. I don’t know of anyone who likes needles. So again, your fear is not silly. But consider this: a painless injection. We use a tool known as Vibraject. The Vibraject tools eliminate the pain of an injection. The handheld tool uses mild vibrations to block the pain signals from reaching the brain. With the help of Vibraject, our patients often have no idea we have administered the local anesthesia.
• Fear of embarrassment or being lectured. I see this almost every single day. Patients have avoided the dentist for months, even years, and they are embarrassed about the state of their mouths. There is nothing to worry about at our office. We never judge our patients or lecture you.. I’m here to help, not make you feel helpless or bad about your smile.

How to Curb Your Dental Fear

Kicking your dental fear is not easy. It takes time and trust. My office works with every patient to make sure we are meeting their individual oral health needs. We’re not an office that sees you as another number. We truly care about what’s going in your mouth and your life. If we’re not able to make you comfortable in the chair, we have other clinical options. We work with a doctor who can provide safe and comfortable IV sedation. This is one of the heavier forms of sedation on the market. It works instantly, and you won’t have to face the sights, sounds, or smells of the dental procedure. IV sedation is also a great way for us to correct multiple dental issues in one day.

So, if you have dental fear or loathe the idea of scheduling several dental appointments to correct your dental issues, call us today at 703-978-5253 and ask about IV sedation. You’ll find that our office caters to all patients! Hope to see you in our office soon!