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Feel Confident in Your Smile in Just 3 Steps
1. Schedule a Consultation
Schedule an in-person or virtual consultation to receive a personalized treatment plan to achieve your goals which we can begin in your next visit.
2. Set Your Smile Goals
What about your smile causes you to feel a lack of confidence? Determine what you want to change that could help you improve your confidence.
3. Achieve Confidence
After your treatments are complete, you will have a smile that is healthier, more functional, more beautiful that brings you confidence.
Are you one of the many Americans that suffer from odontophobia? If you have steadily avoided the dentist for a while – maybe even for years – that answer may be yes, and you are in good company. Approximately 50% of Americans do not receive regular dental care. To narrow in on that further, 9% to 15% of all Americans avoid the dentist entirely due to fear of the dentist or their dental anxiety, also known as odontophobia.
This is where sedation dentistry changes everything. Sedation dentistry in Irvine, CA, is a safe, comfortable way to completely relax during dental appointments. This may seem hard to believe, but you can really “sleep” through a dental appointment. In most cases, our patients don’t actually fall asleep, but they do have a deep feeling of calm and peace. You can count on us! We have been doing sedation dentistry for over 25 years and can help you experience pain free, relaxing dental care.
Dental sedation is revolutionary because it eliminates a patient’s fear of the dentist while allowing your Irvine sedation dentist and their team to complete dental procedures in less time and with more accuracy and precision. It’s a win-win for both the patient and your Irvine sedation dentist. This means less time in the dentist’s chair for you, which, naturally, is a relief.
You don’t have to be afraid of the dentist. Irvine sedation dentists Dr. Scott Rice, Dr. Taylor Rice, and Dr. Nicolas Ravon are compassionate and gentle, and their experience with sedation dentistry will make you comfortable and confident during any dental procedure. Please call (949) 551-5902 or book an appointment today to relieve your dental anxiety.
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry at our Irvine dental office feels like a catnap. With oral sedation you are not unconscious, but you are pleasantly “dozing” in a half waking, half dream state. Most of our patients report feeling unaware enough to be calm and relaxed, with little or no memory of the treatment performed. You will be able to respond to instructions and communicate if needed. Because tension increases your discomfort, you will likely experience less discomfort after an appointment than your previous dental experiences. Your vital signs are constantly monitored with our high level of medical devices and systems.
As more people learn about the benefits of sedation dentistry, they return to the dentist with peace of mind and confidence that their oral health remains a priority.
Who Is a Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry in Irvine is right for anyone who wants the dental care they need without the pain or fear they have come to expect. It is also perfect for those who need to accomplish a lot of work, but don’t have time for numerous appointments.
Sedation dentistry can help people who experience:
- Dental fear or anxiety
- Negative reactions to certain sounds or smells in the dentist’s office
- Discomfort from sitting in the dental chair or holding their mouth open
- Difficulty sitting through long dental treatments
- Strong gag reactions
- Specific anxiety brought on by certain procedures
- Inability to get numb with typical dental anesthesia
- Excess pain during or after a dental visit
- Sore jaw, stiff neck, or other tense muscles from a dental visit
- Difficulty sleeping before a dental appointment
- Dental fear or anxiety
- Negative reactions to certain sounds or smells in the dentist’s office
- Discomfort from sitting in the dental chair or holding their mouth open
- Difficulty sitting through long dental treatments
- Strong gag reactions
- Specific anxiety brought on by certain procedures
- Inability to get numb with typical dental anesthesia
- Excess pain during or after a dental visit
- Sore jaw, stiff neck, or other tense muscles from a dental visit
- Difficulty sleeping before a dental appointment
Many people don’t realize that many of these are related to dental anxiety. People might think they can’t get numb or have excess pain because of their mouth or their teeth, but it’s partly in their brain, whose stress contributes to sensitivity.
The same applies to excessive gagging, which is part of a stress response to dental work. And if you tense up during an appointment, it can make for sore muscles wherever your body tends to store its stress.
Up to 75% of adults in the U.S. experience some type of dental fear. Your body is able to manifest that mental stress and anxiety into physical stress. Sedation dentistry in Irvine is your solution to a stress-free, relaxed dental appointment.
The medications we use are also very safe and rarely interact with other medications you are taking. Still, you should talk to our doctors about prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you are taking. You should also mention any prior allergic reactions to medications and whether you have a heart condition or sleeping disorder, such as sleep apnea.
Types of Sedation Dentistry
Oral Conscious Sedation
At Rice Dentistry, we have multiple sedation approaches, including, Oral Sedation, Nitrous oxide sedation and IV sedation. Our most common technique is oral conscious sedation. With oral conscious sedation in Irvine, you’ll take a pill that induces a relaxed state before you come to our office. You’ll be conscious and able to respond to questions and requests by the dentist, but you’ll be immune to the things that cause anxiety at the dentist. Not only that, but you won’t remember most of your appointment, so you won’t have your anxiety reinforced by negative experiences.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a colorless, odorless gas that has been used for dental sedation and pain relief since the 18th century. It can be added onto just about any dental procedure on request. The gas is delivered through a soft nosepiece and provides relaxing effects within a few minutes. When your treatment is complete, the nitrous gas is turned off and the sedative effect wears off. You will be fully recovered and can drive yourself to and from the appointment.
Laughing gas stimulates certain modulators in the spinal cord that reduce the transmission of pain signals. It produces sedation by the same mechanism as benzodiazepines, the most common oral conscious sedation medication.
Intravenous (IV) Sedation
Intravenous – or IV – sedation involves the administration of a sedative medication directly into your bloodstream intravenously. The deepest type of dental sedation available, this type of sedation is often referred to as “twilight sleep.”
A thin needle is gently placed inside your vein through your hand or arm. If you are not thrilled at the thought of needles, your Irvine sedation dentist may apply a numbing cream before administering the medication, making the sedation process more comfortable. The local anesthetic injections are given after you are sedated.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?
Sedation dentistry is a highly safe approach to calming your dental anxiety so you can get important dental procedures and/or the cosmetic dentistry you desire. It’s so safe that healthy adults don’t really have to worry about the risks other than making sure they know if they are allergic to the type of medication used and follow the instructions of their sedation dentist.
Before we perform any sedation dentistry, we’ll make sure to get a full medical history so we know of any health concerns that may affect your candidacy for sedation.
How to Choose a Sedation Dentist
Sedation dentistry is very safe when used properly, but as with all medications, the risk can increase if a dentist is not properly trained. You want to ensure your dentist has received training in sedation dentistry in Irvine, CA, and has considerable experience in using the technique with his patients.
Meet Your Experienced Irvine Sedation Dentists:
Dr. Scott Rice, Dr. Taylor Rice, and Dr. Nicolas Ravon of Rice Dentistry
Dr. Rice, Dr. Taylor Rice, and Dr. Ravon of Rice Dentistry have certification from the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS) for sedation dentistry and are licensed in sedation in the state of California. The DOCS education program has successfully trained over 26,000 dental professionals in the United States and Canada.
Drs. Scott Rice, Taylor Rice, Nicholas Ravon are experienced Irvine sedation dentists. Dr. Scott Rice and Dr. Ravon met at the Kois Center in Seattle, Washington, where they both became mentors to other dentists looking to learn more about advanced dentistry concepts. Dr. Ravon joined forces with Dr. Rice in 2007 – where Dr. Rice has been practicing dentistry for over 30 years. Dr. Taylor Rice is a certified in oral sedation dentistry; all three doctors hold years of experience helping people overcome dental anxiety, and they are looking to help you.
If you’re in Irvine and would like to talk to our dentists about their training and experience or learn how they can help you overcome your dental anxiety, please schedule an appointment at Rice Dentistry today.
Why Do We Fear the Dentist?
Dental fear is very common. Ninety million people in the U.S. don’t see a dentist due to their fear – but another one million patients can now visit their dentist comfortably and confidently due to dental sedation in Irvine, CA.
Your dental anxiety and fear are not unfounded. It turns out there are many potential causes of dental fear:
1. Pain
Many who experience dental fear, fear the potential pain that may come with a dental appointment. They worry that even a check-up could come with significant discomfort. You can be sure that your Irvine dentist takes every precaution to ensure your comfort and not cause undue pain.
2. Loss of control
People can feel as if they aren’t in control when they’re at the dental office. That’s why it’s so important to choose a dentist you can trust.
3. Previous bad experiences
Some with dental fear had bad experiences with a dentist as a child or young adult. Often this was with older dentists who might have been practicing dentistry that seems quite ancient compared with today’s practices.
4. Trauma and stress
Many with dental fear have been generally hurt in their lives which makes visiting the dentist challenging. You may be a soldier suffering from PTSD, a car accident survivor, a victim of domestic violence, or someone who suffered abuse as a child. You could also have psychological conditions that are responsible for your anxiety.
5. Embarrassment
People may feel uncomfortable going to the dentist because their mouth is a very intimate part of their body, and they don’t like the thought of having a dentist work on it. You may also feel embarrassed because of poor oral health. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more embarrassed a person is, the more they avoid the dentist, and the more they avoid the dentist, the more embarrassed they are about the state of their teeth. Also, many patients are worried about the cost – as a recent survey showed that 44% of the individuals not seeing a dentist were doing so because they do not have dental insurance.
There is a simple solution – visit your Irvine sedation dentist regularly to avoid feeling embarrassed about your teeth!
Relieve Dental Anxiety in Irvine, CA
If you experience dental anxiety or fear, call (949) 551-5902 or make an appointment online with one of our dentists. These experienced, caring sedation dentists can help you get the dentistry treatments you need or want without feeling anxious.
It’s time to be comfortable in the dentist’s chair – call us today and let us ease your fears!
Relieve Your Dental Anxiety
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