Book an Appointment

Select a clinic and we will direct you to our booking system.

Nervous Patients

Are you anxious or afraid of visiting the dentist?

At Ten Dental+Facial, we understand that you might be nervous or afraid of the dentist. We also believe that you deserve the best dental care possible. That’s why we offer a range of reliable solutions that can help alleviate your worries and fears, so you can take advantage of the high-quality treatment we provide. Whether you are a nervous patient or have a dental phobia, our friendly team will put you at ease and allocate plenty of time to making you comfortable in our practice.
We adopt a gentle, caring and empathetic approach to dental care in order to deliver a calm, relaxed and stress-free experience. We are confident that by working closely with you to ensure you remain in control of treatment at all times, we can help you overcome your anxiety and fear of the dentist to achieve a smile you can be proud of. We are delighted to have helped many nervous patients benefit from treatment they need by providing the following solutions:

Oral sedation

We can give you an oral sedative to help you feel relaxed during treatment. The most commonly prescribed oral sedative that we offer is diazepam, which has a longer lasting effect than many other solutions, making it particularly useful for extended dental procedures. Depending on the total dose given, the sedative effect of diazepam can range from minimal to moderate.

Diazepam is typically taken in pill form with or without food and becomes effective in approximately an hour. It is safe for many patients and can help make you feel calm during dental treatment.

Other effects of diazepam can include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Incoordination
  • Impaired reaction skills
  • Partial memory loss of treatment

You should avoid operating machinery, driving or performing any other tasks that require you to be mentally alert for at least 24 hours after taking diazepam.

Diazepam may not be suitable for everyone. We will assess which form of sedation will best suit your individual needs at your consultation appointment or first examination appointment.

Intravenous (IV) sedation

IV sedation – otherwise known as conscious sedation – can help reduce your anxiety during dental treatment. This sedative is injected into a vein in your arm or the back of your hand to produce a relaxing effect. You may also feel sleepy but you are able to remain conscious at all times.

Depending on the procedure you undergo, the level of IV sedation provided can range from minimal to deep. Moderate or deep IV sedation can slow your breathing, so you may need to be given oxygen to help you breathe properly.

Other effects of IV sedation include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Reduced awareness of your surroundings
  • Partial or total memory loss of treatment

IV sedation is safe when it is supervised or carried out by a specially trained dental professional. The effects of IV sedation can last up to 12 hours so we advise that during this time, you avoid:

  • Travelling alone
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Operating machinery
  • Driving or riding a bicycle/motorcycle
  • Returning to work
  • Signing legal documents

Local anaesthetic (LA) 

LA delivery involves injecting a type of medication called a local anaesthetic into a specific area of the body to numb that area. A local anaesthetic can be used to keep you relaxed while dental treatment is carried out. Unlike general anaesthetics, an LA does not cause you to lose consciousness, meaning it is generally safer and you can recover from it more quickly.

It typically takes a few minutes to lose feeling in the area where an LA has been delivered. Once an LA has been injected, you should not feel any pain in the injected area, but you may feel some slight pressure or movement. Full sensation should return to the area when the medication has worn off a few hours later.

There are some temporary side effects of LA that usually pass quickly without any problems. These will be explained in detail by your dentist before your treatment begins.

It is important to be mindful of the injected area while the LA wears off, as it is very easy to accidentally injure this area in the few hours following LA delivery.

 

How do I book an appointment for treatment?

If you are anxious or fearful of the dentist, you can arrange to speak to our friendly team about your treatment options by clicking here. You can also call 020 7622 7610 or email hello@tendental.com to book a consultation. We can then provide further information on treatment solutions and assess your suitability for the options discussed.

Send an Enquiry