It can feel like a heart stopping moment; you go to collect the mail only to find a dental check-up reminder amongst the letters.

While this can cause a minor irritation for many dental patients, if you are either nervous or phobic of the dentist, this can knock you off your feet. You know that dental hygiene is important and of course, you want to be a good dental patient and attend check-ups regularly, but the idea sends you into a cold sweat.

But, nervous dental patients of the world, you’re in luck! Many dental surgeries are now much better equipped to deal with phobic patients and the days of the judgemental dentist are long gone.

When you visit Dr. David Magruga, we will endeavour to make you feel as comfortable as possible. All of our nervous patients in Marylebone are treated with dignity, respect and kindness, to ensure that you have a more pleasant appointment with our team.We take dental fears and phobias very seriously, and will allow you to set the pace of the appointment.

But, how do we ensure that our nervous patients in Marylebone don’t become overwhelmed? Read on to find out.

What is conscious sedation?

One of the techniques we use for our nervous patients in Marylebone is called conscious sedation.

Different to being put under anaesthetic, you will remain conscious but, under the effects of the sedative, you will feel more relaxed and will not be able to feel any discomfort. Typically, there are three kinds of sedation used in dentistry.

The first is inhaled and is known as laughing gas (nitrous oxide). The second is an oral tablet, such as temazepam and the third is administered via an intravenous drip.

How will I feel?

As briefly stated earlier, any sedative we provide you with will make you feel sleepy and relaxed.

During the dental procedure, you will be able to respond to the instructions of the dental team, but once the procedure is complete and the sedatives begin to wear off, you will often have no recollection of what you have been through.

Of course, in a similar vein, under the effects of any sedative, discomfort from certain procedures (such as extraction) are dulled, and so, if you have undertaken an extraction or any other oral surgery, it is likely that you may feel some soreness in your mouth once you get home.

What happens afterwards?

When you come to us for sedation dentistry, we will always advise that you bring along an age-appropriate, responsible friend or family member.

This is for two reasons; the first is to ensure that you make it home safely and don’t have to operate a car.  Secondly, it is to make sure that you have someone looking after you and in the unlikely event that you become ill, you have someone with you who can seek appropriate medical attention.

We also advise against operating heavy machinery, like a car, for up to forty-eight hours after intravenous sedation for safety reasons.

If you have had an accident which has resulted in a missing tooth, and you are worried and/or nervous about getting dental treatment to provide a solution,  why not visit our dental practice, David Madruga. Based in Marylebone, our dental professionals can advise you on the most suitable options to help restore your smile, whether it is because you have lost your tooth due to an accident, or even if it’s down to the erosion of tooth enamel. One of our available treatments to replace a missing tooth and/or teeth are dental implants.

If you have not visited a dentist for a number of years and are particularly nervous, at David Madruga, we provide services to ensure that our nervous dental implant patients in Marylebone are satisfied with the results and that their experience with us is a positive one.

What are dental implants?

Considered a replacement tooth root, dental implants are small screws which are usually made out of titanium. They are placed in the jawbone, where there should be a tooth, and provide a stable foundation for a replacement tooth to be fixed onto. These replacement teeth are made to match the shape and shade of the rest of your teeth, ensuring that they look natural and do not ‘stand out’.

Dental implants – The process

As mentioned earlier, dental implants are small titanium posts that are placed directly into the jawbone. This process can take several months to complete and can require more than one surgical procedure. Usually under a local anaesthetic, our oral surgeon makes a small incision in the gum which exposes the bone. A hole is then drilled into the bone which will be where the dental implant will be placed. This will be drilled deep into the bone to ensure that it is secure and sturdy for the replacement tooth.

Before the permanent tooth is fixed on to the metal screw, the jaw bone needs to have fused with the surface of the implant. That way, it provides a solid base for the replacement tooth. As this part of the process can take several months, a temporary tooth is placed in the gap while the jawbone fuses with the top of the implant. It is only when the gum is healed that an impression will be taken of your remaining teeth, which will then be used to make the permanent implant crown.

Once made, the replacement tooth will be placed under sterile conditions.

Although this is done under local anaesthetic in most cases, for our nervous dental implant patients in Marylebone, there is an option to have this dental treatment done under sedation. This will mean that you will be awake but unable to feel anything during the treatment.

Aftercare

Although this procedure should not be a painful one, occasionally, some of our patients experience mild to moderate pain days after the surgery. If this is the case, it is recommended that you take an over the counter pain relief medication, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.

After you have had your implants fitted, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing twice a day and flossing. This way your implants can last many years.

So if you are considering dental implants but feel a bit worried about the process, Dr David Madruga provides a great dental experience which leaves all nervous dental implant patients in Marylebone feeling confident and happy with their new smile.

Here, at David Madruga, we understand that visiting a dentist can be a scary prospect and that you’d rather not have to!  You can rest assured though, that at David Madruga, nervous patients in Marylebone are our priority. We consistently strive to support you in having teeth to be proud of in a comforting and caring environment.

For our patients here at David Madruga, we offer conscious sedation for stress-free treatment. We don’t believe in letting any fear or phobia of having dental treatment prevent you from having the relevant treatment in order to achieve your best smile!

Conscious sedation means that you can access your required treatment without experiencing the fear of pain or whatever other fear may be holding you back. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with dental treatment in the past or have a specific phobia related to dental treatment or suffer from general anxiety. Whatever the reason, we can help!

Our highly experienced team regularly use conscious sedation to help our patients receive the treatment they need without experiencing any stress and anxiety. We have successfully helped to develop referral clinics for conscious sedation across the UK and believe the comfort of our patients is of primary importance.

What is conscious sedation?

Conscious sedation for nervous patients in Marylebone is a simple process using either oral or intravenous sedation. It means that during your treatment you will be awake, but totally unaware of what is happening. You will not experience any pain or feel any discomfort or nervousness. Instead, you will experience a feeling of calm relaxation whilst we perform your necessary dental procedures and you probably won’t even remember a thing about it afterwards!

Conscious sedation has been well tested and has proven very safe to use. Here, at David Madruga, our practitioners are highly experienced in using conscious sedation for our patients to help them through their treatment.

Having conscious sedation means that you won’t be able to drive after treatment due to the drugs still being in your system and you will probably still feel under the influence of the drugs for a little while after. Therefore, you will need to bring a friend or family member with you whilst you have your treatment so that they can take you safely home afterwards.

Before your treatment you will receive all pre- and post-operative instructions and information and we are always here to answer any concerns or queries you may have.

Who is conscious sedation for?

Conscious sedation is available to any of our patients who feel that it could help them with their dental treatment. Don’t let nerves stop you from having a healthy set of teeth or that smile of your dreams! Simply get in touch with us here at David Madruga and we will be happy to talk you through the options available to you at an initial consultation.

Here, at David Madruga, we value our patients’ comfort and are here to help you receive the very best possible care and treatment for all your dental needs whilst experiencing complete relaxation.

Being scared of going to the dentist can have consequences for your oral health. If you put off going to the dentist because you are scared of the pain, the noise, the needles, then you could be going about not having to experience these things the wrong way.

The best way to avoid having to have any dental treatment is to turn up to twice-yearly check-ups and make sure you also get your twice-yearly deep cleans with the hygienist.

That’s great advice if you have not already been putting off going for a check-up for some time, in which case it’s not much help at all.

What might help however, is to know that at David Madruga in Marylebone, we are very experienced in dealing with nervous patients and do all in our power to make your experience with us as relaxing as possible.

When you come to see us, you will find yourself in a friendly, calm environment where the staff will take care of you.

If you have never been to us before, it can help to pop in and meet us for a chat before having any treatment so that you can get used to being here. Next time you come, it won’t seem so daunting.

We will always take the time to discuss your treatment with you so that you understand what is going to happen and are satisfied that all your questions have been answered.

If, at any time, you need to stop your treatment to take a break, that is fine. You just need to let us know that you need a breather.

If you want, you can also have conscious sedation, which is a way to deeply relax you without giving you a general anaesthetic. You can have either oral or intravenous sedation.

Oral sedation is a tablet that you take about an hour before your appointment. It will wear off pretty quickly after your treatment is over.

Intravenous sedation goes straight into your bloodstream and is more immediate. You might be groggy for a while after treatment.

Both forms will relax you really deeply, but you will still be able to answer questions if we need to talk to you.

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.

If you have missing teeth, then you know that you can feel insecure about your appearance or experience difficulties with everyday activities such as eating and speaking. You may have considered removeable appliances, but worried that they would be loose, inconvenient to clean or uncomfortable. If you have resigned yourself to the difficulties of living with gaps, you might like to hear about dental implants.

Many people have restored their quality of life using this established procedure for replacing teeth. In Marylebone, nervous dental implant patients can benefit too. At David Madruga, we pride ourselves on a relaxed, reassuring approach, combined with techniques such as conscious sedation to make sure that you get treatment you need.

Care for anxious patients

For up to 13% of people in western countries, severe fear of dentists or dentophobia is a very real problem. This can prevent some people from ever visiting their dentist, and make it a very unpleasant experience for others. In fact, this is the main reason that people avoid having the treatment they need. Some people feel out of control, while others have had a bad experience or simply get nervous at the thought of attending an appointment or having work carried out.

Sadly, many people would rather endure the discomfort and inconvenience of missing teeth rather than seek help. If this sounds like you, we can help. We want to make treatment accessible so we ensure that you feel as comfortable as possible.

What happens if I choose dental implants?

The first stage is a consultation in which we assess the condition of your jaw and mouth, plan a treatment programme, including sedation options if necessary, and answer any questions that you might have. The implants are metal screws that are placed into the jaw under a local anaesthetic. During healing, the bones and tiny blood vessels of the jaw mesh around the implants, holding them securely in place. When they have settled, they are used as a secure base to support a replacement tooth, a whole set of dentures, crowns or bridges. The implants function just like the roots of natural teeth, so you will be able to enjoy your favourite foods and an improved appearance.

People in personal growth circles love to turn words into acronyms. With F.E.A.R., you get to choose between False Evidence Appearing Real and Face Everything And Recover. In other words, fear is a feeling. It’s a negative feeling about the future.

The thing is with fear, it’s a very powerful feeling that can stop people doing things they know would be great for them. One thing it stops people doing is getting dental implants. This is such as shame as, in fact, having surgery on the jawbone is a lot less painful than work on the teeth as there are far fewer nerve endings.

For some reason, nervous patients and dental implants combined can create fear. But feeling scared, even more than scared, is no reason not to go through with a dental procedure that can be completely life changing.

At David Madruga in Marylebone, we’d hate for anyone who comes to us for dental implants to decide that the procedure is just too nerve-wracking to go through with.

Conscious sedation

We are big fans of conscious sedation here at David Madruga. This is a way for our patients to go through dental implant surgery in a completely relaxed way, not feeling any pain, not really aware of what’s going on, but able to respond should we need to talk to you; not knocked out cold with a general anaesthetic.

Oral sedation

This is the lighter of the two sedation techniques we offer. You take a pill an hour or so before your appointment, so that by the time you lie back in the chair, the sedation is beginning to take effect.

Intravenous sedation

Much faster-acting because we administer the sedative directly into your bloodstream, and will monitor you throughout treatment. It is a deeper sedation that might send you to sleep, but you can be woken up if necessary.

Whichever type of sedation you choose, you will need to bring someone with you to make sure you get home safely, which is what we always recommend for patients having implant surgery.

Do call us to find out more about sedation and how it can help you through implant surgery.