Tag Archives:Sedation Dentistry
“I’m writing to ask that you please tell Marge, thank you for cleaning my teeth. Truly I’ve been indeed getting my teeth cleaned every six months, though hard to believe. It hurt me, I’ll grant her that one, but I’m grateful for such pain. I haven’t felt my gums be so tightly close to my teeth. It hurt, and yet it never felt so good in a long time! My gums are sitting directly onto my teeth. Before, they were so swollen that I could slide a tooth pick up between gum, and tooth without effort. Thank you Marge, you’re welcome to hurt me anytime … lol.”
– Dental Patient from Clay, MI
Sometimes a little pain can be a good thing, as our patient just explained. But if you find that your teeth are very sensitive or a cleaning makes you feel uncomfortable, we can provide nitrous oxide (Laughing Gas) or sedation dentistry for any of our services, including cleanings.
At our office we try to be as gentle as possible. We just want you to have a positive experience and have proper treatment done the most comfortable way possible.
For more information about our sedation dentistry or dream dentistry, call the Gentle Dentist today!
Call the Gentle Dentist at: 586-247-3500
Enamel erosion and the irritating problem of dry mouth syndrome and oral sedation for our high fear patients.
Enamel Erosion and Dry Mouth:
The following question was asked by a reader Sandy. I would like to thank her for the question as this is what helps me out immensely since I want to be engaged with the readership.
Question: What do we do to build up eroded enamel and is there a tooth paste that can help eroded enamel? What ingredients must that tooth paste have? What do we do that erodes enamel?
At the same time my wife saw an article online from WebMD and passed this along to me. The following is an excerpt from Web MD.
Because a dry mouth is not only a dental issue it is a medical issue and I appreciate this article from a medical site supporting the dentist’s involvement in overall systemic health. There is so much more evidence and research showing the association of oral diseases being related to systemic diseases. This only makes sense since our body is one unit. The following article also addresses the question posted by Sandy.
What Saliva Does: Dry mouth (xerostomia) is more than just feeling thirsty. You get it when your mouth makes very little saliva. Sometimes the saliva can be thick and stringy caused by a change in the glands themselves. Saliva helps you taste food and helps you digest food. It flushes food particles away from your teeth and prevents tooth decay. When you don’t have enough saliva the skin in and around your mouth gets dry and tight. You may get cracks and sores in the corners of your mouth, dry tongue and you may have trouble speaking or swallowing. When saliva is reduced it can lead to bad breath caused by food particles sticking between your teeth. Enamel erosion takes place when the acid levels of the mouth increase thereby dissolving the minerals out of the enamel. Over time this softened tooth structure turns into a cavity where it can only be repaired by your dentist with a filling.
Causes: There are over 400 medications that can lead to xerostomia, including non-prescription drugs. Allergy, cold, high blood pressure and many other medications can cause this irritating side effect. Radiation treatment for cancer can affect the saliva glands and significantly reduce saliva flow. Autoimmune diseases, such as Sjogren’s syndrome, where the body’s immune system attacks the saliva glands and tear glands leave the patient extremely dry and prone to dental decay. Diabetes is a common disease that can leave the patient dry.
Habits that contribute to a dry mouth: smoking can dry out the mouth because of the nicotine and heat from the cigarette shrinks the minor saliva ducts in the roof of the mouth. Alcohol and caffeine can also reduce and change the saliva quantity and quality.
Age: As we get older not only is there the reduced function of our saliva glands but with the need of so many medications to keep us healthy a dry mouth is possibly inevitable.
Treatment Recommendations
- Hydration is a critical factor in preventing problems with xerostomia. It is important to at least 8 glasses of water daily and to drink it frequently. This keeps the mouth moist and prevents dehydration. The moist mouth dislodges the food particles from packing between the teeth and reduces the acidity in the mouth. Cavities form frequently when food gets caught between the teeth and at the gum line.
- To rebuild minor enamel erosion frequent brushing and flossing are critical using prescription level fluoridated toothpaste. This should be done a minimum of twice per day.
- Use of xylitol sweetener and products like MI paste which help to re-mineralize the tooth structure can be helpful.
- To answer Sandy: Toothpastes that contain not only fluoride but those specifically designed to re-mineralize by building up the enamel. I usually recommend Sensodyne toothpastes.
Living a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and eating ample fresh fruits and vegetables are important to long term health.
Sedation Dentistry
Question: I have gone to your web site and noted that you perform sedation dentistry. What is this exactly? How does this vary from IV Sedation and will it work on me? I have such a high fear of the dentist and don’t know if this program will sedate me enough to take care of my anxiety. Could you please answer me?
Thank You, Sharon P.
Answer: Sedation dentistry is safe and painless. Anxiety is controlled using what is called oral conscious sedation or a simple, safe sleeping pill before and during your treatment. You will become drowsy to the point of falling asleep during treatment and have virtually no memory of the visit. Can you imagine yourself sleeping through your dental visit? Sedation dentistry is ideal for patients who are fearful of going to the dentist, would like to get extensive treatment done in one long visit rather than making several trips to the dentist, and for those with a strong gag reflex.
Intravenous sedation usually involves a deeper level of sedation. Because a sleeping pill is used for the oral sedation it is a safer technique if used with a proper protocol. Both techniques monitor the blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation in the blood to make certain the utmost safety is accomplished.
We are able to treat 95% of patients with this technique. We have only had a few patients who are minimally responsive to the medication. These patients usually need to be sedated using the IV approach which would require a referral to a specialist. Most cases we find that the patient remembers very little after the oral sedation procedure so this is very effective in treating those who hate coming to the dentist.
Ask The Gentle Dentist: Enamel Erosion and Dry Mouth
If you have any questions about sedation dentistry or enamel erosion and dry mouth, please contact us by email or by mail at 15055 22 Mile Shelby Township, MI 48315.
Why are so many people afraid of the dentist?
I was recently asked by a patient of ours who is a psychiatrist on how we treat those who have an incapacitating fear of the dentist. Our discussion went on to determine what is common with dental and other fears. She said it would be informative to post this in my monthly article and that it would be helpful to the readership.
I would like to start out by using Webster’s definition of fear: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. When I interview new patients who have avoided dental visits for years this is just about what they describe. They have personalized situations that took place at previous times in their lives which I think would be helpful to investigate. My goal for this article is to open up this taboo area and to let those who suffer from dental pain and are still avoiding the dentist because of their fear know that you are not alone.
I will use this definition and see how it relates to what I see in our office:
-an unpleasant often strong emotion: I can tell you that dental fear, like many fears are real from that persons perspective. Even if it seems silly or irrational to anyone else, it is real to that person’s experience. These emotions are very strong even to the point where it overrides the pain from a bad toothache.
Where do these strong emotions come from? From loosing control to someone they can’t trust. I hear of horrible childhood experiences where the patient was overwhelmed by an insensitive and rude dentist. They either didn’t get numbed up or if they were it was inadequate to take care of their pain. I hear of situations where the child was slapped or hollered at. The majority of bad experiences took place when the individual was small and vulnerable. They were helpless and couldn’t do a thing about it except make a statement in their mind like “I will never put myself through anything like this again”. They continue through life with this thought in their mind every time they get a toothache, or reminded by a spouse that they need to get a dental cleaning.
-anticipation or awareness of danger: It is all about control. In the dental chair each person willingly gives all control over to someone who has the potential to hurt them with sharp instruments. Since the mouth is a very personal and extremely sensitive area on the human body, trust must be gained by the patient before they are willing to put themselves at risk again. This trust is something earned by creating a relationship between the patient and the dental professional. The trust factor must be strongly established especially with persons who have been traumatized by bad experiences. Sometimes it means just talking on the first visit in a non-threatening environment like our consultation room. To remove the feeling of danger it may be necessary to use relaxing techniques like our paraffin hand wax treatments, video glasses, music, nitrous oxide or even dream (sedation) dentistry.
I think it is critical to take these patients seriously and not judge their fear. It is real to them and not lecture or belittle those who have this constant burden. Fear can actually have control over oneself and it requires a group of compassionate professionals to work through it. These professionals may include psychologists, psychiatrists, dentists, hypnotists or physicians. If you are reading this and it describes you, then take action and make a call. If you have any questions you can call our office just to talk at (586)247-3500 or visit our website at www.TheGentleDentist.com
Shelby Township Dentist Answers Common Dental Questions
Question: I have been hearing advertisements about sedation dentistry. Could you please explain what this is?
Answer: Sedation dentistry is used most typically on nervous patients who have been avoiding the dentist for 5-25 years or more. This technique requires that the patient take a simple sleeping pill one hour before their appointment. Arrangements are made for the patient to be dropped off at our dental office and picked up after their visit. The sleeping pill starts to work after about 1 hour and maintains it’s effectiveness for about 2-3 hours. Extended appointments can be accomplished by administering an additional pill during the treatment. The blood pressure, heart rate and blood level oxygen levels are monitored automatically with a special device to keep the treatment very safe and effective.
The best part about using this technique is that there is virtually no memory after treatment and the patient is totally relaxed before and during treatment. It allows us to fix someone’s mouth in just a couple of visits.
Question: I have some old silver fillings which are beginning to look bad. What can be done to improve them?
Answer: Silver amalgam fillings, which are composed of 50% mercury and 50% silver alloy eventually need to be replaced. It may surprise you to know that the average life span of a silver filling is five to eight years. Your dentist can tell you when they appear to NEED to be replaced due to leakage, breakdown or recurrent decay.
If your concern is strictly COSMETIC, there are many new methods available to replace the fillings with beautiful, functional long lasting restorations.
Such things as white filling materials, porcelain inlays , crowns and veneers may be used to give you the smile you are seeking.
There is currently a great deal of interest in new reinforced hybrid materials. These beautiful resin materials may be reinforced with fibers, similar to fiberglass, and used in very conservative inlays and bridges without having to grind away a whole healthy tooth.
Shelby Township Dentist Answers Common Dental Questions
If you have any questions, feel free to call The Gentle Dentist at: 586-247-3500
Hi this is Dr. Antolak from theGentleDentist.com in Shelby Township Michigan our phone number is 586-247-3500. And one thing that we do we get a lot of requests for are people who have a huge level of anxiety, high level of fear, so much to the point where it incapacitates them. If this sounds like it’s you then you need to listen to what I have to talk to you about. That’s called sedation dentistry.
Sedation dentistry, we call it even dream dentistry because it gives us the ability to get you into a very, very relaxed state of being where you’re relaxed when you come into our office and we do the process we give you a small sleeping pill. And then during that time, you get relaxed, and you have amnesia even, to the level of where you may not even remember anything that took place during the process. We want to provide this in a very, very safe and comfortable environment. And so what we do is, when people are sedated their blood pressure, how they usually slow down a bit as they become relaxed. So, we’ll give them a blanket that will make them feel comfortable and we also do something’s to monitor their heart rate and blood pressure. That’s why I’m holding this unit right here. This is called a pulse oximeter, the pulse oximeter’s the same thing you see in a hospital, it is used with this- this is a blood pressure cuff, it’s the rate when we monitor our patients of their blood pressure. We’re also able to monitor their heart rate with this. This is a, called a pulse oximeter and what it does is the finger goes in here, I’m sure if you been to the hospital or the doctor’s you’ve had this used. It fits on the finger, and it measures the measures the amount of oxygen that’s in the blood. So we make sure that you are able to be oxygenated, you’re breathing well, breathing smoothly and also that your blood pressure is under control. These things are very important because we have to make sure that any time we do dentistry on you, it’s in a safe environment.
Of course there is a lot of workup before we start the process to make sure you are a candidate. So candidates are people who are fairly healthy, they could have some health issues. But those are something that we will talk to their doctor about to make sure that they can be sedated by the techniques that we use. We also use nitrous oxide which is a, a little nose piece that goes over the nose and you breathe that and it also helps to relax our patients. And when we couple that up with using our sedation that we do it creates a very, very relaxed atmosphere.
I’m a member of DOCS, which is the dentists for oral conscious sedation, and we have a lot of backing and a lot of research behind what is being done so. It’s very safe and effective. It’s been done for years. A lot of our patients do choose to have sedation dentistry done. If they have their wisdom teeth out, if they have an implant placed, if they have a lot of dentistry done in one visit, it helps. It works very well also for people who are gaggers, who have a problem with gagging, and just the people who have a lot of fear of dentistry. So, obvious to say, it’s a very effective program that we do have here. So, if you’d like to give us a call, our phone number is 586-247-3500. Visit our Web site to see some testimonials from people who’ve had this type of sedation done. And that website is thegentledentist.com. Thank you and bless your day.
The Gentle Dentist in Shelby Township, Michigan Provides Sedation Dentistry
Hi, this is Dr. Antolak and Jessica from thegentledentist.com, we’re in Shelby Township, Michigan. And our phone number is (586) 247-3500. You’re probably wondering what I’m doing with this. This is called a pulse oximeter. We use this device when we provide oral sedation to our patients. What it does is it has the ability to detect the blood pressure, the oxygen saturation, the oxygen that’s in your blood and your, your heart rate. So what I’ll have Jessica do is first of all put on the blood pressure cuff and this is all automated and so this goes on like that and then also we have what’s called a pulse oximeter and through this device, there’s a little red light there and what that does is that red light that’s in there measures through your skin and through your nail bed.
The amount of oxygen, don’t ask me how it does it, it just does it. Through the oxygen through there. So, Justin you could go ahead and push the start button. And what it’s going to do is it’s going to inflate the blood pressure cuff. And it does it automatically, which is very nice. And that way, we can see our patients, and treat them throughout the whole process, then we can monitor the blood pressure. We actually have probably around 6 or 8 different patients. We’ve been able to screen them and find out that they had high blood pressure that they didn’t know of. I mean serious high blood pressure. So this is 1 of the parts that we do during our initial visits to provide a screening exam for that.
What way if somebody does have high blood pressure you can send them to a physician and then they’ll know. If they do, then we try to do some things to help calm them down. At the same time, we want to make sure that their pulse rate doesn’t slow down too much, or their blood pressure doesn’t go down too low. So we just have a good estimate. The good thing is when they do oral sedation, it’s very safe and very effective when people, when they leave and I call them later on that evening many times they don’t even have any clue or memory of, of the procedure that was done with them. This is once again is a very.
One of the ways that we try to provide the most safety that we can for our patients, and a way that keeps us, just more in touch with modern technology. So if you’re interested in oral sedation, if you have the fear of the dentist. Well, we can help relax you with basically a couple of pills that you take.
Give us a call. And our phone number is (586) 247-3500, or visit thegentledentist.com. Thank you.
Dentist in Shelby Township, Michigan Discusses The Pulse Oximeter
Hi, my name is Dr. Robert Antolak at thegentledentist.com. We are located in Shelby Township, Michigan, and our phone number is 586-247-3500.
What I’d like to talk about today is, which is something that obviously has been a part of me, what I’ve been doing dentistry for the last 24 years, is the fear of the dentist.
Dentistry is a very fearful place. That’s why we are thegentledentist.com. And it’s something that I’ve have an appreciation with the dental patients who come in here, who give me the opportunity to serve them. It’s through our dental office that we try to make a difference. And we do that by people who’ve been putting off dentistry for years and years because of the fear that develops and lives within them from the dentist.
I’d like to just address a couple of those issues. One would be, some really bad childhood experiences. For example I’ve had stories of people who had dentists who slapped them and yelled at them who didn’t listen to them when they were having fillings done in their teeth and hurting them and they were saying, it hurt, it hurt and they, they just ignored it. They just finished doing it. So from me to you I apologize for those really bad experiences that have taken place back in childhood. Now with more modern, compassionate techniques that we do at our dental office I would like to invite you in so we can help you, deal with those issues that have taken place.
You know there’s a few things that come in with that and we find is number one is having someone who your gonna trust- it’s all about trust. It’s all about, having some compassion on, on the issues that are going on. Many times they have to do with childhood, which we talked about the childhood experiences
There is a certain amount of, of space that’s required with people so that they feel comfortable. Normally when we’re a nice distance away people feel comfortable with that, then the closer we encroach upon their personal space, it’s in those moments that people start getting a little bit more nervous. And, so when we get closer and closer and then, we ask you to open your mouth up, and then get into a situation where we’re in your most, very vulnerable, most personal space, called your mouth. That’s gonna create a lot of anxiety for people. And so, I don’t assume that we’re gonna be able to do that without your permission, okay? The reason why the mouth is so sensitive is that it’s very personal.
You now, people don’t always see in there and a lot of times it’s an avoided space. And because we use sharp instruments and if you don’t trust what we’re going to do then you make yourself very vulnerable to those potential issues that have taken place. So we try to work through it and talk to you about it.
One other important thing in our office that we’re going to do is that we’re going to talk to you first before we actually make that appointment and we set you down and we can work out. I try to make my phone calls before your first visit to see how we can do to make your visit more comfortable. And that first call is very inviting to many people who have this level of fear. So this lack of control that people have is very, very intimidating, and sometimes we need to just work through it like I discussed. We’re constantly thinking about the need to go and the problem is when somebody’s always thinking about their desire to go. They need to go. I need to go to the dentist. I need to go to the dentist, and their fear overcomes them. Then they beat themselves up. So that’s really a problem that develops within the psyche of our dental patients. And many times you find that, that phone call I just referred to helps invite them in. To make that stepping into that office a more comfortable experience. Because then they get to know who I am and I get to know who they are. And so the question is, how are we different?
We’re going to listen to your needs, find out what’s there. We want to become your friend. Our office staff is very friendly here. We try to make it a good experience for you, as good as possible. And I’m not going to start before we’re ready to just move in. I’m going to make sure that there’s a relation developed enough so that, so that you’re going to trust what we’re going to do.
I’m also going to inform you of what is being done so there are no surprises. We’re going to make sure that you really, really have a good understanding of what we’re doing. And if there’s, for example, if there’s a time when there might be some sensations that’s uncomfortable. I’m gonna warn you ahead of time. I’ll say, “okay, right now, you’re going to feel something”. And that way, that person’s prepared for that. I try to really limit that amount. I can tell you that when I was a sophomore in dental school, that’s about 26 years ago, that my instructor said, you know, if you want to do a good job with your dental patients in your future, he said, “numb yourself up right here in the front”.
And I did, I realized where it hurts. So since that time, I just make sure that if I’m going to try something new, I do it on myself first as far as anesthetic goes. Then I have some compassion and understanding about that experience. So, since then, I inject very slowly. We use topical anesthetic too, before we give the injection and what that does is it helps to eliminate that picking sensation that you’re gonna get.
Number one is you always have the ability to stop me, at any time whenever we’re doing something. To make sure you’re feeling comfortable and relaxed. And for those who have that high level of sedate of uncomfortableness and fear. We use sedation dentistry, which helps us to relax you. It’s a little pill that you take. You come in, your relaxed, a lot of times no memory of the experience which is really great. (Sometimes we’ll just use gas, nitrous oxide)
If there’s any questions you may have, you can call us at the office at 586-247-3500 or visit our web site at thegentledentist.com. Thank you, have a blessed day.
Overcoming Fear of the Dentist- Dr. Antolak in Shelby, Township Michigan
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.
Sedation Dentistry in Shelby Township, Michigan
Hi, my name is Dr. Antolak, the dentist at TheGentleDentist.com. We are located out in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our phone number is (586) 247-3500.
What I’d like to talk to you about today would be, what makes us at the Gentle Dentist, the “Gentle Dentist“? We know that there are many people who claim to be gentle and gentle dentists and the such. But one thing I’d like to do really is to talk about, what is it, the things specifically that we do here in our dental office in Shelby Township, Michigan that are going to make you want to come in and visit us and be part of our clientele.
Number one is the very nature of our name, we got a lot of people who are browsing on the internet for gentle dentistry and the things that they’re looking for and why we get them.
First thing is that we want to make you, as our dental patient, the primary focus. You are the center of our attention at that moment in time. We are not distracted with other dental patients who are being seen. You know, it’s very important to make your comfort our primary concern.
There’s a lesson I learned 25 years ago. I graduated from dental school at University of Michigan in 1987 and so 25 years ago or so I learned that very valuable lesson which was to do things on myself first before I can do them on my patients. I remember very specifically in my second year of dental school there, that my instructor said if you really wan to do a good job on your dental patients and you really want to have a great career. He said go ahead and numb yourself up. So I did. I went to the mirror and I numbed myself up in the very front area of my mouth. And I realized at that moment in time just how sensitive the mouth is, and how it can be. What I also learned, is that, the way that you do it is, we apply topical anesthetic to the gums and then inject very slowly, after about 2 minutes or so. And I’m telling you, most of our patients that wetreat that way say, “I never even felt a pick or anything”. Which is a really new experience for them, since they’ve always felt that pick from the needle during that process. And also, just injecting very very slowly. That takes maybe 2 to 3 minutes to do that. I know that might seem like a lot of time. But the truth is that the pain comes when that tissue is expanded with the solution, with that liquid solution, that’s what makes the pain. So, if we could do it slowly enough, and the fact that I’m observing you while I’m doing it. I look at your hands. I see if the hands are tight or if they’re relaxed. I look at the eyes to make sure that the eyes aren’t squinting from pain and there’s these signs that can really be picked up if we are alert and astute to that.
Another thing is, I just don’t want to hurt you. You know, because the fact that I’m here and I want referrals from you. And just because we want to do what we want to do and make sure that we’re feeling comfortable in knowing that you’re having a decent experience at the dentist.
Another thing that I do to try to make a big difference is I like to make a phone call to you our dental patient before you come into our dental office. So you contact us, you fill out the necessary paperwork online, and then I’ll give you a call because I want to know who I’m gonna to be talking to. And I want you to feel like you are very welcomed into our dental office. And so that’s very important and we’ve had numerous people say what a relief it was when they first got that first call to make that happen.
Many of our dental patients come to us with a history of all these horrible experiences so what it really requires is a lot of compassion, time to really develop trust. Because trust is the major component that is broken down usually as a child. So if you were treated at the dentist as a kid and they hurt you and yet you had no opportunity to stop the dentist because they’re big and scary and you made a pact with yourself. I find this many times to be the truth. You found a pact with yourself saying, I’m never going to the dentist again because they hurt me and I’m not going to let that happen to me again.’
It takes time to change that trust around and so during that period of time, what I wanna do is to work with you very slowly and have you trust what I have to tell you. And trust when I do things. And we’re going to go at a very slow pace, okay? So that’s really important.
Another thing that makes dentistry quite nervous, and I’m aware of that, is our level of the closer that we come to somebody the closer that we have to have a more trusting relationship with them and the more that we expose ourselves to them. So if I’m speaking to you from five or six feet away there’s usually not much of an issue. But as I come closer to you and closer, then that gets among the circle of influence where you really will only allow certain people in your lives to get close enough. In private dentistry we have assumed for years that it’s okay for a stranger like us with sharp things in our hands to potentially hurt you. And yet we encroach upon that most personal space. And so, that is something I don’t take for granted. I realize I’m a dentist. I know what I have to do, I know that’s how we do it. But the truth is, is that, I need to gain your trust before and asking for permission. If you have that level of fear, to encroach upon you. To allow ourselves to get into that close area. And so that you do trust enough that I’m not going to hurt you. And if I say that I’m not gonna pick, I’m not gonna pick. And that’s where trust develops over a period of time.
Also, for those people who have a lot of fear, once again, as we work through these things. But at the same time we still need to use some of our medications that we have. For example, for people who have just a little bit of fear of the dentist, we may use some nitrous oxide. That’s the breathing gas that you use through your nose and helps to relax you. It really helps to create more of a sedative feeling for you.
For those people who have really high-level fear, we use our oral conscious sedation. With that is we give you a pill before your dental appointment, about an hour before you come in. You’re relaxed and we treat you. Many times there’s no remembering, no history, no remembering of what took place. You’re relaxed, it’s a great experience. So that’s what we do for our level of patients who have either a high fear, high level of fear or they also have a lot of dentistry to do at one visit.
In conclusion, these are all the things that we try to do in our dental office to make you feel comfortable. Not to mention, our dental staff is very friendly here. We’re never going to judge you from your past. We realize that it’s been tough for you to come in. Most of the time, to make that entrance between our parking lot and the door is a huge thing. Between you making that phone call and you coming in the office is a big big process. So, each step along the way, we realize that it’s something that’s really difficult. So I’m not here to judge you.
All I’m here really to do is to say I understand where you’ve been. And I want to help you to get where you want to go with your life, and with your smile, to give you something to smile about and feel good about yourself again.
So if you like what you hear, my name is Dr. Robert Antolak. We’re located out in Shelby Township, Michigan. Our website is www.thegentledentist.com and our phone number is 586-247-3500. Thank you
Many of our dental patients in southeast Michigan come with multiple needs and wanted to be treated in very few visits. Combining cosmetic dentistry, Implant dentistry under a mild sedation is most beneficial for them. Rather than going to a number of specialists we at The Gentle Dentist in Shelby Towship, Michigan can do this. The video demonstrates these done on Kathy, a professional who came in with many needs. This is an outstanding presentation showing the emotional impact of having a beautiful smile and a full compliment of teeth. The smile is the first thing noticed by others and nothing else can compare.
About The Author
Dr. Robert Antolak, DDS graduated from the University of Michigan in 1987 with his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He is dedicated to providing the highest quality and appropriate cosmetic, sedation and general dentistry in the most comfortable and gentle way possible. Because being a dentist has been a lifelong dream, Dr. Antolak has a passion for the profession. He enjoys helping people feel better about their smiles and therefore their self-image with dental implant and cosmetic dentistry. His Dental Practice is located in Shelby Township, Michigan. For more information visit The Gentle Dentist.
Posted: Shelby Township Dentist
Categories: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental fear, Dental Implants, Dental Surgery, Dental Videos, General Dentistry, Porcelain veneers, Tooth replacement
Dentistry can bring on night sweats, rapid heart beat, hyperventilation and all of the symptoms of a huge anxiety rush. This type of feeling is usually felt before a dental appointment for those who have had bad experiences.
These bad events can stay with people for decades. The level of fear can last for many years because the fear is ingrained into that person’s memory. Because we deal with very close spaces and are directly in one of the most sensitive and personal areas on the human body trust must be one of the most importent issues that the dental patient must have.
Modern dentistry has equipped ourselves to deal with these issues to make visits much more comfortable. For example, we use sedation to put people in a state where they have no memory of their procedure and are very relaxed when they get to the office and during the procedures. It also allows for them to get many services done at one visit so they don’t have to continually return to our office. Another option is to plug in a DVD into our virtual reality glasses and watch a movie.
It is critical to have dental procedures pain free. Anesthetics properly administered do a great job in controlling pain and therefore anxiety, and as a result trust starts to become developed.
Because fear comes from a loss of control it is very important that you are in complete control of the procedure and have a way of stopping if you need a break or are in pain and in need of additional anesthesia.
Anxiety stems from fear of the unknown and when you are not sure the anxiety increases. It is also very helpful if all of your questions are answered when you need additional information.
Because relationships are so important and can’t be stressed enough we have personal interviews with the patient so that their needs are met and so that there are no misunderstandings.
Please don’t let your bad experiences affect your present condition. Modern dentistry emphasizes prevention over all other things so do yourself a favor and don’t delay this any longer. Your needs will be met and you will be comfortable having treatment as this is my promise. You will be amazed at how easy and user friendly dental care can be.
It is easier said than done, but don’t be embarrassed if you haven’t been to a dentist in years and are afraid of past judgments from the dentist. A modern dentist will help you look forward to your future care and would never lecture you.
About The Author
Dr. Robert Antolak, DDS graduated from the University of Michigan in 1987 with his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He is dedicated to providing the highest quality and appropriate cosmetic, sedation and general dentistry in the most comfortable and gentle way possible. Because being a dentist has been a lifelong dream, Dr. Antolak has a passion for the profession. He enjoys helping people feel better about their smiles and therefore their self-image with dental implant and cosmetic dentistry. His Dental Practice is located in Shelby Township, Michigan. For more information visit The Gentle Dentist.
Posted: Shelby Township Dentist
Categories: Dental Emergencies, Dental fear, General Dentistry, How to choose a dentist, Sedation Dentistry
Robert Antolak DDS, Shelby Twp. general dentist is worth a few extra bucks to go to. In this interview his patient discusses why she came back to their relaxing Macomb County dental practice for her treatment. She went to a 2-3 other “in network” dentists to realize that The Gentle Dentist is the place to be for her and her families dental care. She states that even though money is tight the relaxing atmosphere, kind team, attention to detail, and personal touch are worth the difference that she has to pay for her treatment. At Dr. Antolak’s dental practice, comfort is a primary goal that they work to achieve. Our motto is: Relax while we take care of your smile.
The Gentle Dentist is located at 15055 22 Mile Road in Shelby Township, Michigan. Dr. Robert Antolak specializes in Cosmetic Sedation Dentistry.
Posted: Shelby Township Dentist
Categories: Dental Insurance, Dental Videos, General Dentistry, How to choose a dentist