Sedation Dentistry in Shelby Township, Michigan

August 17, 2011 by · Leave a Comment


Hi, my name is Dr. Robert Antolak for Gentle Dentist. When people come to us, a lot of people come in because they have a huge level of fear, at the dentist.

You know it goes back to, a lot of times, bad experiences as a child- not being listened to on something hurting them, and avoiding dentistry for a long time. That might be you. What we’ve found is by using sedation dentistry, using oral sedation, is an awesome way to help you have the dentistry that you need in a just a few visits with hardly any memory at all- if any memory at all. The procedure is very safe. Let me explain how that works.

So, the night before, normally you would not eat or drink anything for about eight hours ahead a time. And then you would take a small little pill, actually two a them, an hour before your appointment. You take the pill, you come on in and you’re feeling pretty good by this time. You’re not going to remember pretty much from this point out. And what we’ll do is we monitor your heart rate, your blood pressure, your oxygen that’s in your blood. So you’re very safe. You’re monitored. We have at our office the ability to use gas or nitrous oxide and oxygen to increase your level of sedation or decrease your level of sedation.

Many times we’ll do dentistry for 3-4 hours, at one visit, and you’re the only patient at the time. So you get a lot of treatment completed that you’ve been avoiding for years. And  the beauty is, is that when you’re done you go home, you take a little nap and then you wake up at home, then you think, wow, that was easy. This is because it went very quickly. Time will fly by for you.

So, if this sounds like something that you want, pick up to call us. You can call us at 586-247-3500 or visit our website at thegentledentist.com.

We will prove to you why we are the gentle dentist.

Filed Under: Sedation Dentistry Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Why do you consider yourself The Gentle Dentist and what do you do for the dental phobic?

June 2, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

At www.TheGentleDentist.com we realize that many have had bad experiences in their past at the dental office.  Typically 5-10 years go by and the high fear patient finally gets to the point of where they can’t stand their oral pain any longer.  This is when they do research on the internet with a desire to find a dentist who specializes in treating the high fear patient who has not been into the dentist for  years.  With a search on Google for “dentists for chickens”, “dentist for the fearful patient” or “dentistry for the dental phobic” we usually come up high on the search engines especially when looking for the Shelby Twp., Macomb Township, Sterling Heights or Washington Township Michigan areas.  After reading through our web site they find it comfortable enough to get the will power to at least email us. 

After they talk to Jessica our scheduling coordinator and make their appointment they will receive electronic health history questionaires to fill our in the convenience of their own home.  The day before their appointment I will call them up to introduce myself.  Because dentistry requires a high level of trust I like to introduce myself to them and see if they have any questions or concerns.  Many times they will give me a history of their horrific experiences at the previous dentist.  These are usually experienced as a child so we try to work through the issues slowly to eventually proceed with the exam.  We will only proceed when they are willing to do so.   

The mouth is an extremely personal space.  Most people don’t want others (including the dentist) to see their embarassing smile because of darkened teeth, missing teeth, cavities or bad gums.  Up to this point it has been their little “secret” and to go beyond that “secret” it is very difficult.  Most often they will say “I’m so embarassed of my teeth” or “I should have been in here years ago”.  The good news is that there is only room for improvement and what has happened in the past has been in the past.  Our goal is to move them beyond the past and to look forward to their future healthy and good looking smile. 

Another issue that has kept them from regular dental check ups is that they fear that they will get scolded or lectured to.  I always reassure them that it is my responsibility to inform them of their situation and we will work together as a team to move.  Lecturing will never work and has never been something that I have done and will never do. 

These are some of the personal things we do at www.TheGentleDentist.com to make the visit for our high fear patient one that can be tolerated and even appreciated.  If you have questions please call our Shelby Township office at (586)247-3500.

Filed Under: Dental Emergencies, Dental fear, General Dentistry, How to choose a dentist, Mouth pain, Oral Conditions, Sedation Dentistry

Michigan Sleep Dentistry for Dental Patients With High Anxiety

January 18, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Sleep Dentistry is considered when some dental patients can’t help but feel anxious when going to their dentist. It doesn’t matter what dental procedure is being performed, or what age or race the dental patient is.  This anxiety can be caused many things to include:

  • Their childhood dentist would continue to do a filling or pull a tooth when they could still feel it. They would protest to the dentist and they would be scolded. (They should stop when you raise your hands-IMMEDIATELY)
  • The shot hurt so much that they would not subject themselves to it again. (Should inject slowly and use topical anesthesia for 2 minutes)
  • They had their teeth pulled because their parents couldn’t afford it. (Financing)
  • They had a traumatic accident to the face and won’t allow anyone to come close to their face. (Working with a psychologist to work through the emotional pain and an empathetic dentist)
  • The dentist pulled the wrong tooth and didn’t listen to them as they protested. (Should never happen)
  • They don’t want to deal with being numb. (I will give the answer in next months column)
  • The smell of the dental office triggers the fear of childhood traumas.  (Don’t use these materials that produce those smells and use air purifiers.)
  • They hate the sound of the dentist’s drill. (use electric hand pieces and noise canceling headphones)
  • They don’t have the money or insurance for the dentist. (interest free financing)
  • They believed that the dentist just did the fillings even though they didn’t need them. (digital photography and digital x-rays to show and reason why the dental treatment is needed and justified)

Dental patients that experience anxiety are more at risk for developing periodontal disease and losing their teeth prematurely.

To combat dental anxiety, dentists commonly use a technique called Sedation Dentistry and/or Sleep Dentistry.  There are several degrees of Sedation and Sleep Dentistry depending on the level of anxiety the dental patient has.  They are:

  • Minimal Sleep Dentistry is typical used for simple dental procedures requiring very little time to complete.
  • Moderate Sleep Dentistry causes the dental patient to feel more calm and relaxed during the dental procedure.
  • Deep Sleep Dentistry is what a Michigan sleep dentist would use to make his dental patient actually fall asleep for more complicated dental procedures like root canals and dental implants.

A Michigan sleep dentist could use several techniques for sedating his dental patients:

  • oral sleep dentistry
  • inhalation sleep dentistry
  • intravenous sleep dentistry

Sleep dentistry, when done gently and correctly, can allow a high fear dental patient to experience a relaxing and stress-free visit to their dentist.  If you are looking for a Michigan Sedation Dentist in Macomb County or Oakland County, giver Dr. Robert Antolak’s dental office in Shelby Township, Michigan a call.   He is “The Gentle Dentist”.

Filed Under: Sedation Dentistry Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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