What Can I Do If I Have Dental Anxiety?

Dr. Anthony Mobasser, a renowned cosmetic dentist in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, discusses dental fear and the different methods we can offer to alleviate your anxiety during your procedure.

A lot of people ask me that ‘I’m really worried to come to a dentist.’ There’s many, many options that we can use to make you comfortable. Basically, there’s three ways, okay, that we can sedate the patient. One is called conscious sedation or oral sedation, which we can give use some pills.

However, you cannot drive. You have to have somebody accompany you. The other one is called IV sedation. Same scenario, except under IV sedation, you are much more comfortable. You’re basically sleeping.

You don’t remember anything, you don’t feel any pain. However, you have to have again somebody drive you home and bring you to the office. On the IV sedation, we recommend 6 hours before you do not drink or eat. I do recommend IV sedation for patients who even do not want to hear the drill, as they call it, because that would make them nervous. If they’re gaggers, definitely go under IV sedation.

There is also another sedation we use. It’s called actually general anesthesia, but that is done usually in the hospital. On extreme cases, we go ahead and use that methodology. Other than that, if you’re a little bit worried, I do recommend oral sedation or conscious sedation. You’ll be a little bit sedated, but it will really take the edge off. In cases of again, if you’re a bad gagger or you really have a phobia as far as dentistry goes, IV sedation is highly recommended.

What to do after IV Sedation Dentistry?

Make sure you are escorted home by a responsible party. It is recommended that you stay home for the remainder of the day.
Stay in the presence of a responsible party until you are fully alert again.
Avoid any tiring or laborious activity (including driving) for the rest of the day.
Do not consume a heavy meal right away. If you feel hungry, you are better off with light foods like a piece of toast.
If you are feeling sick and experiencing nausea, lie down. A soft drink can help as well.
Do not consume alcohol or take medications for the remainder of the day, unless otherwise directed by the dentist.
Take further medications as directed by your dentist.
If anything, unusual occurs, call your dentist.

If you are interested in sedation dentistry in the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, or Hollywood, CA area, contact Dr. Mobasser today!

I literally could not speak more highly of Dr. Mobasser. He fixed my bite and did the full top and bottom veneers on me. It changed my life. I get compliments on my smile every single day. His work is absolutely perfect and unmatched by any dentist. I wouldn’t trust anyone else working on my teeth after seeing how he works. His office visits aren’t like any normal dentist’s. He only works on one patient at a time, you have his undivided attention, and he makes the experience so pleasant. His front desk and dental assistant are also the sweetest people ever. If you need any cosmetic work done, Dr. Mobasser is the one to do it. You would be hard-pressed to find a better cosmetic dentist. There is a real he’s world-renowned. He is, for lack of a better word, the best there is. – Sherri A.