It’s only when you start to lose your teeth that you realise how vital they are, not just for eating but for talking, smiling, laughing and holding your face in place. Now that yours are on the way out, how will you replace them, bearing in mind that you aren’t the world’s most fearless dental patient?

Well, it would be easy to go for the least invasive option and get dentures made. But dentures only give you about 25% of the chewing power of real teeth, and after a while they lose their grip and can give you all sorts of embarrassing moments. How about, if you’re only losing a few teeth in a row, fixed bridgework? It’s more stable, for sure, but having a bridge means compromising 2 neighbouring teeth, which have to be ground down and fitted with crowns to become buttresses. Seems a bit extreme.

So what about dental implants then? Or does your fear outweigh the opportunity to have replacement teeth that give you back full functionality? Please don’t let it. Instead, come to David Madruga in Marylebone and receive treatment from a dentist well used to nervous dental implant patients. In truth, with dental implants, you have nothing to fear but fear itself, but that’s not very helpful when you are up against anxiety.

David Madruga and his highly experienced team have treated many nervous dental implant patients using conscious sedation.

What is conscious sedation?

Conscious sedation means that you are awake and can respond to questions should you need to be, but you are so deeply relaxed that most of the time, you are not really even concentrating on what is going on with the implant surgery, let alone able to get worried about it.

You can have oral sedation, which means taking a tablet about an hour before surgery. Or you can have intravenous sedation, which is administered straight into the bloodstream through the back of your hand. The latter can be controlled as we go through surgery.

Afterwards the sedation wears off quickly, but you will need someone to make sure you get home safely.

It’s no fun being scared of things that other people have no problem with at all. Thunderstorms, for example. Some people find them exhilarating, others are hiding behind the sofa with the dog. Spiders, too. One person can pick them up and put them outside while their friend is whimpering with terror of this thing with 8 hairy legs and a desire to terrify. Dentists too. Your friend sails in to get their check-ups, doesn’t think twice about local anaesthetics and fillings. You though. Well, you’ve lost count of the number of appointments you’ve missed because when it came down to it, you were just too scared to go.

Was it because your mum was scared of the dentist too? Was it because she never took you when you were young so the first time you went you had to have loads of fillings and they didn’t even offer you a local anaesthetic? Was it the noise of the drill? You can’t quite remember. You just know that all your life, you’ve been lucky to make it to one check-up every 5 years, let alone twice a year. And every time you go, there’s always a long list of work that needs to be done. In fact, it gets longer every time and last time, they were talking about root canals and extractions, maybe even dental implants, if you wanted to get out of the vicious cycle you are in with your teeth.

Because that’s the thing with being scared of the dentist. You don’t go, and you don’t go and you don’t go, and when you do, decay and gum disease have made things so much worse than if you’d gone for regular check-ups in the first place. It’s such a horrible situation to be in.

But here at David Madruga, we know all about dental phobia. It is real. It affects about 13% of the population and you are not alone. When you come to us for help, we will be able to take you through the whole treatment process with a great deal of compassion, zero judgment on the state of your teeth and sedation so that you can finally relax.

If you are feeling anxious about visiting the dentist, you are not alone. Dental phobia is a very common occurrence, affecting almost half of all UK adults. Patients suffering from dental phobia tend to cancel dental appointments and visit the dentist only when it is absolutely necessary to be treated. Unfortunately, this can create a lot of problems in the long run.

Dr David Madruga is specially trained in treating nervous patients in Marylebone. He is caring and sympathetic and ready to listen to your needs, concerns and answer all your questions. He will take the time to explain every step of your treatment in understandable terms and will help you cope with your dental anxiety. More importantly, nervous patients can take advantage of our conscious sedation options.

Feel relaxed and comfortable

At your first appointment with Dr Madruga, you will be met and treated in a friendly and reassuring manner. You will never be judged for the state of your teeth or any phobias you may have. Dr Madruga is specially trained in the most advanced techniques available and has invested in specialist equipment designed to eliminate any pain during treatment.

Conscious sedation is not like general anaesthesia. Dr Madruga will use either oral or IV (intravenous) sedation, to help you relax during your dental treatment. IV sedation is more substantial compared to oral sedation, because it involves administering the sedative directly into the bloodstream. In both cases, you will be awake but unaware of what’s happening, feeling very relaxed and not experiencing any pain or discomfort.

When you are under oral or IV sedation, you can still communicate with the dentist. Conscious sedation is extremely safe and well-tested and has proven to be effective with nervous patients. If you opt for conscious sedation, you will need to bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment to make sure you return home safely.

Our commitment

For nervous patients who avoid the dentist because of their phobia, why not let us help? Dr Madruga will help you overcome your fears and worries and allow you to have any necessary dental care in a calm and relaxed environment.