Yes, that’s what my shaking fingers typed in the Google search bar as I looked for a new dentist in Oklahoma City. I have always been scared of the dentist. I can still remember the feeling of dread as my mom picked me up early from elementary school to go get my teeth cleaned. Every time I sat in that chair I felt helpless and after every appointment, I told my mom I was never going back.
Throughout high school and college, I avoided the dentist like the plague, but after having my first child I got a toothache I couldn’t ignore. Wanting to just get it over with, I quickly searched on the internet for a dentist near me and booked an appointment having barely looked at the dentist’s website. As soon as I sat in the chair at the office, my hands started sweating and it was hard to breathe. I felt like I was right back in elementary school begging my mom not to make me go to the dentist! My stomach dropped when he said I needed a root canal and crown. I thought it was just a simple toothache! When I mentioned my nerves, the dentist said laughing gas would help to calm me down. Although the laughing gas did help a bit, it was still uncomfortable and painful. After the appointment, the dentist said I had been hard to numb. Oh man did I believe him. I had felt everything! The whole experience left me wanting to put off seeing the dentist again.
Eventually, I got another toothache that was very painful. After having a bad experience with the last dentist, I wanted to do my research. When I asked my coworkers about their dentists, they would say things like “they were nice” or “the office was very pretty,” but when I asked about the pain or discomfort, they got quiet. While I was discussing this with my coworkers, our UPS delivery guy showed up and told me about sedation dentistry. When I asked him what it was he told me it was called sleep dentistry and if you’re really nervous about your appointment the dentist can just put you asleep and work on your teeth. That sounded perfect to me! After he dropped off our boxes I got on my phone and typed “sedation dentist okc” into the search bar. That is when I saw the name “Advances in Dentistry” and the phrase “You Sleep, We Work” appear on the screen. I immediately called Advances in Dentistry to ask “how does sedation dentistry work?” Instead of giving me a quick or dismissive answer, they invited me in for a no-charge consultation so I could sit down with the dentist in person and he could answer all my questions to let me know how sleep dentistry could help me.
I was still nervous about going to the dentist, so I brought my husband, Steve, with me when I went to Advances in Dentistry for my consultation. As soon as we opened the door, I knew this was a great place. Everyone was so nice and relaxed. It was very calm — not like some of the dental clinics I went to as a kid — where there were 10 people in one waiting room. During the consultation, I talked with Dr. Rhodes and he let me know that Advances in Dentistry uses oral sedation and that before the procedure I would just have to take a couple of pills that would make me sleepy. This was great news because I didn’t want IV sedation with needles. Dr. Rhodes also explained that the sedation would have an amnesia type effect, so I would probably not remember much, if anything, about the appointment. After hearing all this I told myself, ok, I’ve put this off for so long, my teeth are in bad shape, and I’ve got to do something. Steve agreed so I went ahead and had some X-rays taken and the dentist did an examination.
For the next appointment as I arrived at Advances in Dentistry for the sedation dentistry, the next thing I knew I was back at home waking up! I looked right at Steve and asked, “did I miss my dental appointment?” He laughed and said no. The appointment had gone great and he’d taken me home where I’d been asleep for a couple of hours. I immediately went to the bathroom mirror and opened my mouth. I could not believe what I saw! My teeth looked great, the dental work was all done, and I had slept through it all!
Later that day, Advances in Dentistry called to check on me and I told them how thankful I was that I had typed the words sedation, dentist, near me in that Google search bar. That one search has changed my life. Advances in Dentistry gets a 5-star review from me! If you are looking for a painless dentist that does sedation dentistry in OKC then call Advances In Dentistry.
– Linda M.
Linda is not alone. Fear of the dentist is why a lot of people put off dental work, but ignoring the problem only leads to more problems and expense. At Advances in Dentistry, we have helped thousands of people in Oklahoma City overcome their fear of the dentist. Below are some frequently asked questions about sedation/sleep dentistry.
Q: I haven’t been to the dentist in years, how much dental work can be done during a sedation dentistry appointment?
A: We can take care of years of dental work in typically 1-2 appointments.
Q: What type of sedation is sleep dentistry?
A: Sleep dentistry is oral conscious sedation. You are breathing on your own and can respond if asked, just like when you are normally sleeping.
Q: What can I do after my sedation dentistry appointment?
A: Most people will sleep at home for a few hours after the appointment. You can resume your normal activities the following day.
Q: Will I remember anything after the sedation dentistry appointment?
A: Sedation dentistry has an amnesia type effect, most people don’t remember much about their appointment.
Q: How much does sedation dentistry cost?
A: It depends on how long the appointment is and what all is being done. It usually is not a major expense.
Q: Does sedation dentistry help with a gag reflex?
A: Yes, we have treated many patients who have a bad gag reflex very successfully with sedation dentistry.
Q: I am hard to numb, would sedation dentistry help with that?
A: Yes, we hear that a lot from patients. We have helped many patients who state they have been hard to numb in the past with sedation dentistry without any problems.
Q: How much experience does the dentist have?
A: Dr. Rhodes is a 1994 graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and Dr. Windsor is a 1996 graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. Finding a dentist with a lot of experience is very important when considering sedation dentistry. Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Windsor are highly skilled and trained with decades of experience. Dr. Rhodes has also been voted “Best Dentist” for 6 years in a row.
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