Sedation and dental anxiety in London, ON

You don't have to explain yourself

Dental anxiety comes from somewhere. A rough appointment as a child, a dentist who didn't listen, freezing that didn't take, or simply years away and embarrassment about what we'll find. Whatever it is, we've heard it, and none of it changes how we'll treat you.

Tell us when you book. It isn't a footnote — it changes how we schedule the appointment and how we run it.

What we do differently for anxious patients

• Longer appointments. Feeling rushed makes everything worse, so we book more time rather than less.
• Tell-show-do. Nothing happens before you know what it is, what it will feel like, and how long it will take.
• A stop signal. We agree one before we start. Raise your hand and we stop — not at a convenient moment, immediately.
• No lectures. If it's been years, we start from where you are. You will not get a talking-to.
• A first visit that's just a conversation, if that's what you need. No instruments, no treatment.
• Water and juice on hand if you feel faint or lightheaded at any point.

Your sedation options

Depending on the situation — the treatment itself, how you feel about it, your health history and any medications you take — sedation here usually means one of two things. We'll go through both with you before anything is booked.

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)

A blend of nitrous oxide and oxygen that you breathe through a small mask over your nose. You stay awake and able to talk to us the whole time, but the edge comes off, and most people find the appointment passes far more quickly than they expected.

Its big advantage is how quickly it clears. We switch it off at the end, you breathe pure oxygen for a few minutes, and it's out of your system — so you can normally drive yourself home and carry on with your day. It's the option we reach for most often, and it suits mild to moderate nerves well.

Oral sedation

A sedative taken before your appointment, which leaves you considerably more relaxed — drowsy, but still able to respond to us. Many patients remember very little of the appointment afterwards, which for some is exactly the point.

It's the stronger option, and it asks a bit more of you in return: it takes time to wear off, so you'll need someone to drive you to and from the appointment and to stay with you afterwards. It tends to suit longer treatments, or anxiety that nitrous alone doesn't settle.

Which one is right for you

That's a conversation, not a menu — and it's one we'd rather have before you're in the chair. Sedation isn't suitable for everyone: pregnancy, some medical conditions, and certain medications all rule options in or out, which is why we review your health history first. Tell us you're interested when you book and we'll set aside time to talk it through, with no obligation to go ahead.

We'll also confirm the cost in writing beforehand, as we do with any treatment, along with anything your insurance or CDCP coverage contributes.

Which treatments can this be used for?

Anything, in principle — from a checkup and cleaning if that's the part you dread, through fillings and repairs, root canal therapy, and wisdom teeth extraction. What's appropriate depends on the treatment and your health history, so it's a conversation rather than a menu.

Coming back after a long time away

A lot of people put off the dentist for years, then put it off further because of how long it's been. If that's you: the first appointment is an exam and a conversation, we'll tell you honestly what we find, and we'll put together a plan you can work through in an order and a timeframe that suits you. There's no judgement in it, and there's rarely as much to do as people fear.