Farnham Road Dental Practice

Are you a nervous dental patient? 4 ways our team at Farnham Road can help you to relax

It is never a good day when you receive a dental check-up reminder and you have a fear of the dentist.

Of course, there is the option to avoid it altogether but this rarely ends well; if you fail to attend dental check-ups, you are putting yourself at risk of falling victim to cavities, gum disease and even abscesses.

Luckily, as dentistry has evolved, so has the knowledge that surrounds phobic dental patients. Many surgeries are now able to offer the most anxious patients ways to manage being in the dental chair, meaning that you can now attend any dental appointment without feeling fear.

If the thought of getting into the dental chair makes you break out in a sweat, come along to Farnham Road Dental Practice for a check-up. We cater to the most nervous patients in Guildford and can offer you an array of options to help you manage your anxieties. We promise a non-judgmental approach to all of our patients and will ensure that your visit to our surgery will be a pleasant one. Perfect!

But what are these options that we can offer nervous patients in Guildford? Read on to find out!

Open communication

One of the main reasons that people fear attending dental check-ups is due to the fear of judgement from their dentist.

Luckily, as mentioned earlier, all of our dental practitioners are trained to be able to manage nervous patients in Guildford and will discuss ways to make you feel more at ease. Indeed, many patients prefer to know what is happening when their dentist is putting all manner of unusual objects into their mouths, and our team can happily offer you a more open line of communication.

Music

The dentist drill has been an object of fear for a long time, and can still cause some patients to feel severe anxiety.

Luckily, at Farnham Road Dental Practice, you are more than welcome to bring along a set of headphones to listen to some music. Why not listen to an audiobook? That way, our team can work on your teeth without triggering any noise-related anxieties, what could be better?

Sedation

If both the aforementioned techniques don’t sound like your cup of tea, then our team is happy to offer sedation.

Coming in 2 forms, intravenous and nitrous oxide, both options will create an extreme feeling of relaxation, but will allow you to be conscious enough to respond to our team’s instructions. Once the procedure is complete, you will have no memory of what occurred during the time you were sedated. It is important to note that with intravenous sedation, you will need to bring along an age-appropriate family member or friend to escort you home afterwards. Also, no operating heavy machinery for 24 hours!

Anaesthetic

In cases of extreme anxiety, our team will be able to refer you to a nearby day clinic to complete your treatment under traditional anaesthetic.

Once again, you will need a family member or friend to escort you home afterwards.

Worried about your next dental check-up? 5 tips for nervous patients from Farnham Road Dental Practice

It can be tough when you have a fear of something. Especially if that fear revolves around a medical professional who can preserve your teeth.

One of the most common phobias across the globe, dental based anxiety typically stems from an unpleasant experience in childhood and, if left unchecked, can lead to a myriad of issues in adult life. It is an unfortunate fact that people who actively avoid attending dental check-ups and appointments are at a higher risk of developing more complicated dental problems and so, it is very important to attend those check-ups as often as you can!

Luckily, if you are phobic of the dentist, we can help. Our team at Farnham Road Dental Practice is happy to offer nervous patients in Guildford a slower, more calming trip to our surgery, allowing you to feel more comfortable in our care. We will take the time to explain everything to you in jargon-free language, so you can feel reassured when you begin treatment with us.

But what are some of the general tips we would suggest to nervous patients in Guildford? Read on to find out!

Find a specialist dentist

When you have decided that you want to overcome your fear and see a dentist, ensure that you choose one who is skilled and knowledgeable about patients who have phobias relating to the dentist.

At Farnham Road Dental Practice, all of our clinical staff have worked with nervous patients in Guildford and will be able to offer you a judgement-free zone to discuss your worries in, while also providing you with top-notch dental treatments. Perfect!

Communicate openly

Whatever your worries are based around, feel free to explain them to your dental team. At Farnham Road Dental Practice, we will empathise with your concerns and allow you to take the lead in whatever treatments you feel comfortable to undertake.

We will work with you to overcome your phobia and help get your dental health back on track.

Book a meeting in advance

Our team is also able and happy to offer advanced meetings, so you can get to know us a bit better.

Typically, these meetings will involve nothing clinical and will offer you the space to talk with our team about your fears. It will also offer you the chance to ask our team questions, without worrying about undertaking a dental assessment.

Make an early morning appointment

When you are ready to take the plunge, we would advise that you book an early morning appointment to get started.

There is nothing worse than waiting around for hours for a late afternoon appointment to come round, so in the first few visits, always aim for an early appointment so you can get on with your day afterwards.

Reward yourself afterwards!

Of course, when you have attended your first dental appointment with us, it is important to treat yourself afterwards! Overcoming a phobia is a huge achievement and should be rewarded with an enjoyable activity, a meal or a shopping trip.

Explaining the first appointment for nervous patients in Guildford

One of the ways that we can help to support nervous patients in Guildford is by going through some of the things that we will do during a first appointment. Being armed with knowledge is perhaps one of the most powerful tools that we can offer our patients, especially those who find it difficult to deal with their anxiety or fear of the dentist.

It isn’t uncommon to be afraid of the dentist. Some people avoid going because they believe their smile to be strong and disease free, and after several years become a little embarrassed to visit us. Our non-judgemental team is here to help you feel great about your smile and confident in knowing that it is as healthy and attractive as it can be, both now and for the future as well.

For nervous patients in Guildford, we have a range of different tools that we can implement during procedures to ensure that you feel as relaxed and at ease as possible. With sedation, your mind can drift off whilst we quickly and efficiently perform the procedure that needs to be done.

During your first appointment if you are one of our nervous patients in Guildford you will be given the opportunity to discuss your feelings of anxiety, so that we can shape further treatments, if necessary, around this. Before you come in for your consultation, you will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire that details some of your past medical and dental history, as well as some information regarding your diet, general health and lifestyle choices, so that we are able to gather some basic information about your situation and who you are before we begin.

It is important to take the time to get to know you so that we are able to help you in the best possible way. We have found that taking these moments at the beginning and end of each consultation goes a long way in ensuring that you feel confident and comfortable with us.

After you have spent some time talking with us, we will begin the physical examination of your mouth, teeth and gums. Going slowly so that you feel relaxed and explaining what we are doing at every point during the examination, so that you are confident with the proceedings, we will examine your mouth for anything out of the ordinary.

We will look at your bite to ensure that it is aligned and your teeth and gums to see if they are free from disease, decay or infection.

We may need to perform some X-rays to gain a deeper understanding of your oral health, but towards the end of your initial consultation, we will be able to give you a detailed report as a result of our analysis.

From this, we will recommend your next dental plan of action and talk to you about the possible ways in which we can care for your smile in the future. If restorative treatments are necessary, sedation will be offered to ensure that you feel as comfortable as possible with moving forward and creating a smile that you can be proud to share.

There are always solutions for nervous patients in Guildford

For those of you who are a little hesitant about visiting your local, non-judgemental and friendly dentist, you should rest assured knowing that we have many measures in place to allow nervous patients in Guildford to feel relaxed and at ease.

We understand that people can feel apprehensive before a dental examination and sometimes a little embarrassed, because of the length of time it has been since their last check-up. Many people avoid going to the dentist and we realise that the reasons behind this can be numerous and varied, just as our patients are.

The fact of the matter is, whether it is a past experience that has put you off coming in, a fear of dental treatments and the process by which we examine and care for your teeth, or the potential cost of treatments; avoiding the dentist is going to have a negative impact on your overall health and wellbeing.

Nervous patients in Guildford need to understand that specialist care for their oral health is essential, to ensure that they can reduce the need for complex restorative care or painful conditions that could have been more easily avoided should they have visited a professional more often.

Dentists are non-judgemental and compassionate when tending to their patients’ needs. We know that the longer you leave it, the harder it is to come in. Rather than looking into the past and making comments on what should have or could have been done to maintain your oral health; we prefer to look to the future and present you with actionable choices that allow you to enjoy your smile again and keep it healthy for the years to come.

Let us know if you are one of the many nervous patients in Guildford that we come across and we will make sure that options are readily available to you, so that your experience can be as pleasant as possible.

What can we do for you?

To start with, our dental practice prides itself on exuding a warm and welcoming atmosphere so that you can relax and take your mind off any impending treatments, before heading in to see one of our professionals.

During a treatment, you have the opportunity to receive sedation in addition to the numbing or pain relief that is given whenever slight discomfort might be experienced. An anaesthetic is used so that you do not feel anything besides gentle pushing, during treatments that may involve interaction with the tooth nerve.

Sedation is administered either as a gas or intravenously during these appointments, so that your mind can relax and you can experience feelings of deep peace.

Otherwise known as laughing gas, this sedation is beneficial for both patients who are uncomfortable during treatments and for dentists, because they can work swiftly to get the restorative or cosmetic treatment completed and do not have to be concerned with their patient needing constant breaks. If you think that sedation might be a good option for you, then let us know prior to your appointment, so that we are able to go through routine checks in order to offer you a more relaxed means of dental care.

Why are patients scared of going to the dentist?

Dentophobia- a fear of going to the dentist- is extremely common amongst many children and adults in the UK. Nervous patients in Guildford usually have something in common – they experience anxiety attached to trips to the dentists for reasons that may, or may not, be rational. Nervous patients in Guildford may be suffering from dental phobia whether they realise it or not. But the question is, what makes nervous patients in Guildford so afraid?

A fear of pain

No one likes pain, let alone dental pain which can be extremely traumatic and scarring. Once a person endures a particularly painful procedure with a dentist, it is extremely difficult to overcome and forget about it. In many cases, it becomes lodged in our brains and serves as a reminder that all experiences with a dentist must be the same. But this isn’t true whatsoever, no two experiences are ever the same. Thanks to anaesthetics, most procedures nowadays are actually painless. Some patients may experience minor discomfort after an invasive procedure, but this can usually be managed with over-the-counter painkillers.

Remembering a bad experience

One bad experience can set a precedent for every dental visit in the future. One bad experience can induce intense fear and can often stop patients visiting their dental practice when necessary, or ever again for that matter. Unfortunately, some procedures can vastly change the state of your mouth and may take a long time to complete. Naturally, this would be nerve-racking, but it should never put you off visiting your dentist ever again. In most circumstances, the worst has been and gone, and it can only get better.

Worried about bad news?

Fear of bad news is common across all medical fields. With modern technology such as google, it is very easy to self-diagnose and let anxiety consume us. Putting off news from your dentist can be very detrimental for your health if your condition is serious. No one wants to receive bad news, but it is necessary to improve your life in the long term and speaking to your dentist sooner rather than later could save you a lot of money or pain in the future. That being said, not all news is bad and patients need to remind themselves of that.

Fear of tools

Some dental instruments can look intimidating and scary. From drills to metal scrapers, some of their tools can induce fear in patients and can turn routine check-ups into traumatic experiences. Dental tools cannot be changed but rest assured, they are being handled by a professional at Farnham Road Dental Practice who knows how to work them. In most cases, they look scarier than they are.

Feeling vulnerable

Feeling vulnerable during a procedure can cause intense anxiety and fear. Lack of control or feeling trapped are common emotions to experience during dental work, but often this can spiral and lead to more fears. However, your dentist will always explain each and every step of the procedure to you, which should eliminate the fear of not knowing.

How patients can overcome their fear of the dentist

A trip to the dentist for nervous patients in Guildford can be daunting for many reasons. Nervous patients in Guildford worry that it will be painful, embarrassing, and frightening, but our professionals, here at Farnham Road Dental Practice, are experienced in helping patients overcome their fears. Nervous patients in Guildford will always be listened to and supported through treatment, because we understand that dental work can be traumatic. Here are our tips on how to handle your dental anxiety.

Choose the right dentist

If you suffer from dental anxiety, selecting a dentist who will listen and consider your fears is very important. A dentist who is empathetic and patient is more likely to present these qualities during your treatment, as opposed to someone who is not. For children who suffer from dental anxiety, try seeking out a paediatric dentist who is trained to deal with youngsters. This is particularly important for children, because one negative experience could traumatise them for many years, turning even minor procedures, such as routine check-ups, into a distressing event.

Change your perception of fear

Pain is an experience that sticks with us all. Anaesthetic and numbing gel are effective in numbing or alleviating pain but depending on the procedure, some pain may linger. In order to overcome your fear of pain, experts would recommend performing deep breathing exercises to slow your heartbeat and clear your mind. Similarly, learning different ways to relax before your appointment could help with pain management and make your entire experience more bearable.

Request numbing gel

Studies have shown that across all medical fields, one in five people are scared of needles. Needles can be very intimidating, and it is natural to feel nervous, especially when that needle is being injected into your mouth. Rest assured, dentists will usually administer numbing gel to relieve the pain of injection and will always take your anxiety into consideration. Most patients have described that with numbing gel, dental injections have been completely painless.

Listen to music

Fear can sometimes be triggered by sounds and in the case of dental care, drills can instil huge levels of anxiety. This is normal, but an empathetic dentist will also consider this fear and suggest ways to improve the situation. Use headphones to drown out the sound. Music can be incredibly soothing and distracting, and could help drown out the daunting buzz of a dental drill.

Anaesthetic is not as frightening as it seems

Anaesthetic across dental and medical fields can be an area of great concern. A lot of people worry that they will still experience pain, whereas others fear the sensation of numbness and feeling out of control. The anaesthetic used during dental procedures simply numbs a particular area, but does not stop the ability to function. Even if your cheek or tongue feels swollen when numbed, you will still be able to swallow properly and move them.

It is natural to feel embarrassed

Dentists deal with damaged, discoloured, and decaying teeth every single day, which is why you should never feel ashamed about the condition of yours. Being open and honest about this with your dentist could prevent unwarranted anxiety and apprehension. Their words of reassurance could make your experience far more relaxing.

Building your smile through dental implants in Guildford

Smiling ought to be easy

Here at Furnham Road Dental Practice, we recognise the issues that are faced daily by those who are missing teeth. We understand that daily life can often be a struggle for those who are missing one or more teeth, and that eating even the simplest of meals can be a painful challenge. Here at Farnham Road Dental Practice, we genuinely urge anyone who is currently living daily with an untreated gap in their teeth to urgently seek dental implants in Guildford to permanently restore their smiles and confidence and allow them to smile freely and without care.

Why seek out implants?

Having a space in your mouth can be severely damaging in ways which you may not have realised. If there is a space in your mouth which has not been stimulated for some time, the bone tissue above in the patient’s jawbone can be absorbed by the body and displaced elsewhere. This bone loss can result in the patient looking far older than they may actually be. Also having a missing tooth can cause speech problems and other innumerable long-term negative health implications. There are also large social implications that can hurt a patient’s confidence and mental wellbeing. This can often cause a patient to hide their smile out of pain and fear of exposing embarrassing gaps in their teeth.

How are implants different from similar treatments?

Unlike other treatments which are designed to fill in missing gaps in a patient’s mouth such as dental bridges or crowns, implants offer a permanent solution. Where these other treatments aim to fill in the space in a patient’s teeth at a purely superficial, aesthetic level, dental implants solve the problem at its core. As such, they are a permanent solution which not only looks identical to a natural tooth, but also feels identical. Dental implants in Guildford are also as strong as a natural tooth, and do not typically require any further visits to the dentist after they have been installed.

How do implants work?

Dental implants in Guildford work by embedding a false root into the jawbone of the patient, between the gap where they are missing a tooth or more. This root is constructed from titanium-alloy, which has the unique function of being able to bond itself within human bone. As it does this, the results are that the implant is thoroughly and permanently lodged within the patient’s jaw structure, in a way which is almost the same as a natural tooth would be.

What does it involve?

Prior to beginning the dental implant procedure, an extensive assessment of the patient’s dental health must be carried out. This is done to assess whether they have any underlying conditions such as periodontal disease which may prevent treatment from being carried out, or whether or not a sinus lift would be required – in instances where severe bone loss has taken place. If the patient is deemed healthy enough to complete treatment, then they will be administered a local anesthetic and the installation process will be carried out. This involves stripping back a section of the patient’s gum tissue until the bone is exposed – before making a small hole into the bone, into which the tintiaum root is deeply embedded. Then the root is given time to bond within the patient’s jaw, before a replica tooth is fixed into it.

Discover your true beauty through dental implants in Guildford

Take the initiative

Across the nation, a rising number of new patients are increasingly taking the initiative to seek out dental implants in Guildford as a way of improving their dental wellbeing and, in turn, their lives. At Farnham Road Dental Practice, we recognise the daily struggles that are faced by those who suffer from an untreated missing tooth or teeth, and are fully aware of the struggles which they are faced with daily. We feel that anyone out there who is currently living with a missing tooth or more ought to turn to Farnham Road Dental to provide them with dental implants in Guildford to restore their smiles and their happiness.

What are dental implants?

If you are unaware of what dental implants in Guildford are, and how they could put a smile on your face, then do not fear. Dental implants are a permanent solution to those who are missing one or more teeth, and work by addressing the issue at the root. Rather than simply cover up a gap in a patient’s mouth, dental implants fill the gap in a permanent and sturdy fashion by creating an artificial tooth root which is placed within the jaw tissue of the patient. Those who opt for dental implant treatment find them to both look and feel almost completely identical to natural teeth, and that implants rarely require frequent return visits to the dental practice after they have been installed.

What does treatment involve

If you feel like you would be an ideal candidate for dental implant treatment, and that your smile could benefit from being permanently restored – then the first step would be to visit our practice in Guildford for a friendly, non-committal conversation. In doing so, you have the opportunity to familiarise yourself with both the intricacies of the procedure, as well as our practitioners here at Farnham Road Dental Practice.

This initial conversation and consultation period can also allow one of our dental implant specialists to assess your dental health. As installing dental implants involves a dental operation, then the patient has to be of a certain level of oral health. Any signs of onset periodontal (gum) disease, severe decay or extensive bone loss must be identified prior to beginning treatment, as this could result in the procedure being dangerous for the patient. Provided that no such signs or indicators that the patient is unfit to continue treatment however, then the insertion of the implants would then be carried out.

This begins with the gum tissue of the patient being stripped back in the space where the implant would be installed. Next, a titanium tooth root would be deeply inserted into the patient’s jawbone. This root would then begin to fuse itself with the bone tissue of the patient, which would result in the implant being forever fixed in place, like a tooth’s natural root would be. Then a replica denture is placed within the root and the gap is bridged, allowing the patient to smile fully and enjoy life to the fullest.

Getting dental implants in Guildford

In the western world, large numbers of people are affected by tooth decay every day. Tooth decay is a result of oral bacterial overgrowth and acid production. Given that the harmful bacteria feed on sugar and other food remains that get stuck on our teeth, a correlation can be drawn between the sugar rich western diet and the increasing number of tooth cavity cases. Tooth cavities can usually be treated by fillings. However, if the decay has affected the living part of the tooth (called the pulp tissue) the tooth might have to be removed. In this case a dental implant is recommended to be implanted as soon as possible, to minimise the time the tooth has spent outside the mouth. This increases the chance of the dental implant successfully remaining at its desired location.

To get dental implants in Guildford book an appointment with our team here at Farnham Road Dental Practice!

Dental implants are usually screw-like structures made out of a very rigid and durable metal, such as titanium. This ensures that the implant will withstand the large amount of pressure exerted on it. The dental implant is placed into the jawbone. The body recognises the implant as a tooth, and through a process called osseointegration it engulfs it, which allows modern dental implants to stay in the mouth for a long time. On the top of this dental implant, an appliance called a crown is placed. A crown is a cap that covers the dental implant, or in other cases the damaged tooth. Crowns that are made out of a variety of materials are available. Often they are made out of some type of metal as well, such as stainless steel or alloys, which are mixtures of metals.

Metal crowns are probably the most durable, and the most capable of resisting the tremendous amount of pressure imposed on them during chewing. Metal crowns do not usually chip either. However, many people have metal allergies, in which cases metal crowns are contraindicated. Crowns can also be made out of resin. The advantage of this material is that these crowns can be made for a low price. On the other hand, resin crowns are less of a long term solution, as they are eroded more easily, and over time the likelihood of fractures increases. Porcelain can also be joined with metal to create a crown. The porcelain part of these is capable of chipping, and there might also be a line on the border of the porcelain and metal parts, which may bother some patients. Crowns made completely out of ceramic or porcelain are a great solution for patients with metal allergies. These however are slightly less durable than their metal counterparts and can be prone to chipping.

If you would like to get dental implants in Guildford, our team warmly welcomes you to attend an examination session. Your dentist evaluates your individual circumstances, and together you and your dentist can decide what kind of treatment plan would be most appropriate for you.

What are the benefits and risks associated with dental implants?

How do dental implants work?

If you have been affected by tooth loss due to tooth decay or any other reason, our dental implants in Guildford can serve as a solution for these problems. Dental implants are available here at Farnham Road Dental Practice. These dental implants are surgically introduced appliances that serve as fixation points for crowns and bridges. The implants are metal objects with a similar appearance to screws. They are surgically introduced into the jawbone, where they interact with the bone tissue and integrate into it. As a result of this process, the crowns and bridges used to replace missing teeth remain functional for a long time if the implantation is successful. The implants also will not slip, and therefore do not create any bone damage which older methods such as dentures or fixed bridges might.

What are the criteria for receiving dental implants?

Most patients are capable of getting dental implants, however, certain criteria must be met to make the operation both safe and effective. Your jawbone should have got to its maximum growth before getting dental implants. It is also a requirement to have the appropriate bone structures in the jaw and have healthy surrounding tissues (gingiva, etc.) in the mouth. If you are affected by any disease or condition that can have an impact on bone growth, getting dental implants is contraindicated. If you are a long term tobacco smoker, this can influence your oral tissues in a negative manner, therefore the evaluation of your oral tissues is necessary. You are also advised to quit smoking when getting dental implants.

What are the benefits of getting dental implants in Guildford?

Losing teeth is very inconvenient. It affects patients in a wide range of ways, depending on the location of the lost tooth or teeth. The most obvious inconvenience is the difficulty that patients may experience with chewing or eating. Tooth loss can also cause difficulties with speech, not to mention the appearance of it when it affects an immediately visible area. One of the lesser known negative consequences of tooth loss is the negative effect it might have on the jawbone structure and the oral tissues. The longer time your tissues and your bone spend without your teeth or an implant in them, the more they disintegrate and the less likely it will become to successfully deliver dental implants. Therefore it is important to consult your dentist in time when you experience tooth loss. If you are a patient that is capable of receiving our dental implants in Guildford, these implants can provide a solution to many of the problems that tooth loss can cause.

What kind of risks are involved?

As a dental implant is introduced surgically, it comes with certain risks, which are important to be considered. Every single surgery comes with risks, and the risks associated with dental implants are relatively small, however, it is important that you know about them. Infections or nerve damage might occur where the implant is placed in a small number of cases. When the dental implant is required to be operated into the upper jaw, it can pierce a sinus, which can result in sinus problems.