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Fear of sedation is more common than many people think, and our friendly dentists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa are here to help you prepare for anesthesia so you can ultimately overcome your anxiety and have a smooth recovery. As it turns out, sedation dentistry is not nearly as scary as it seems — after all, you won’t hear, see, or feel a thing. Yet for some people, that is exactly what causes them fear. That being said, here are some tips to help you prepare for a sedation dentistry procedure, beginning with learning more about the procedure and sedation method, itself.

LEARN ABOUT THE PROCEDURE

While ignorance is bliss, this is often not the case with sedation dentistry. Prior to even scheduling your procedure, you must visit your dental clinic for a consultation with your dentist so that they can give you the lowdown on the procedure. During this meeting, you will learn exactly what the surgery entails, why it is the best option for you, what you can expect from the results, and how to prepare for sedation in terms of fasting, making driving arrangements, etc. You will also learn what kind of sedation is best for you and the nature of the surgery, whether that be IV sedation, oral sedation, or nitrous oxide.

This consultation is your chance to learn about the sedation dentistry procedure first-hand from the dentist who will be performing the surgery, so ask as many questions as you need to feel reassured. That way, you will have established greater trust for your dentist and will not be as afraid of losing control when you are given anesthesia. Another important thing to note is the importance of trusting and sticking to the information provided by the dentist in charge of your surgery, as staying up all night searching up the risks of anesthesia online will only put more irrational fears in your head. Remember, not everything on the internet is true, so it’s best to trust the experts at your local dental clinic.

Read More: Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP)

FOLLOW DIRECTIONS

Hand in hand with learning about the procedure is following the instructions you are given by the dentist who will be performing the surgery. You may have heard that you should not eat or drink for eight hours prior to your procedure, and this is usually true due to nausea being a major side effect of most types of anesthesia. There are other health risks of not adhering to fasting instructions prior to oral surgery, so be sure to read the information your dentist gives you and take it seriously. That way, complications and surprises on the day of your procedure will be far less likely, which will put your mind at ease knowing that you have done everything in your power to prepare for success.

If you have an upcoming wisdom teeth removal, dental implant procedure, root canal treatment, or any other kind of oral surgery that requires sedation, follow these two tips to help ease your fear of anesthesia. It really is that simple, and the more you know, the better prepared you will be. Please don’t hesitate to contact our dentists at Trillium Dental in Ottawa if you have further questions about sedation dentistry, and request a consultation online if you think you might need oral surgery.

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Dental crowns have been used for decades as a way to protect and restore damaged teeth, rather than extracting them altogether. They offer reinforcement for cracked or broken teeth, and they are always used to “cap” teeth that have undergone root canal treatment for added protection. Without dental crowns, dental bridges, and other restorative dentistry techniques, many patients would require tooth extractions and dental implant replacements.

At Trillium Dental in Ottawa, our dentists are firm believers that no tooth replacement is as good as natural teeth, which is why we do everything in our power to save patients’ teeth and only use extraction as a last resort. Contact one of our dental clinics in Alta Vista, Kanata, Orleans, Downtown Ottawa, Stittsville, Stittsville West, or the Bayshore Mall, Westgate Mall to book an appointment, or continue reading to learn more about the dental crowns we offer.

TRADITIONAL DENTAL CROWNS

As previously mentioned, traditional dental crowns are used to cover a damaged tooth, such as a tooth that has been cracked or broken. Dental crowns are also a critical part of root canal therapy because they act as a shield to protect the brittle tooth underneath. This is due to the fact that during a root canal procedure, your dentist drills into the tooth and removes the infected pulpy center that would otherwise keep the tooth alive and strong. When a rubbery replacement is inserted into the empty cavity, the tooth becomes weak and requires reinforcement so it doesn’t break under pressure. During the root canal treatment, a temporary dental crown is fitted to the tooth and protects it until the patient comes in for their second appointment, where a permanent dental crown is bound to the tooth.

Traditional dental crowns aren’t always white, either. Some are made of stainless steel (usually temporary), metal, or a metal alloy, while others have porcelain fused to the metal or are completely ceramic. It really just depends on what is offered at your family dental clinic and for how much. Nonetheless, traditional dental crowns offer permanent protection for teeth that might otherwise need to be extracted.

CEREC® CROWNS

At many of our Ottawa dentist offices, we are pleased to offer CEREC dental crowns for patients who want a more discreet solution for their damaged or brittle teeth. Thanks to recent advancements in CAD-CAM dental technology, these white tooth crowns are just as strong as traditional dental crowns that are made with metal, but they look perfectly natural. Plus, dentists are able to create as many permanent CEREC crowns as patients need in one single appointment, eliminating the hassle of temporary dental crowns. So, say goodbye to weeks of dealing with metal crowns and get all of your dental crowns in one appointment at Trillium Dental!

MAKE YOUR NEXT DENTAL APPOINTMENT AT TRILLIUM DENTAL IN OTTAWA

Now that you know a bit more about the different kinds of dental crowns we offer at our Ottawa dental clinics, it’s time to quit putting off that root canal treatment or forgetting to cap that chipped molar. Contact Trillium Dental today to make an appointment or book your next dental exam online!

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Root canals seem to have gotten a bad rap over the years, perhaps due to exaggerated stories, fictional movies, and the fact that not many people actually know what root canal treatment is. Obviously, root canals aren’t as scary or painful as the dentist in Finding Nemo makes them seem, so our team at Trillium Dental in Ottawa is here to debunk some common myths about root canal therapy and tell you everything you need to know before you visit our dental clinic for a root canal.

ROOT CANALS REMOVE THE NERVE OF A TOOTH

First and foremost, the purpose of root canals is to remove the pulpy center of an infected tooth in order to save the tooth itself from deteriorating or falling out. To do this, your dentist will first numb the area with a local anesthetic and apply a dental dam to keep the site free of saliva and bacteria. Then, they will drill a small opening at the crown of the tooth (remember, the area is numb) so they can gently remove the infected or damaged nerve. Once the pulp has been taken out, your dentist will clean out the cavity and insert a synthetic nerve replacement to fill in the space and support the tooth before resealing the hole. To complete the root canal treatment, your dentist will seal the hole with a dental filling and send you on your way!

ROOT CANALS ARE LESS PAINFUL THAN YOU THINK

As previously mentioned, lots of people seem to be under the impression that root canals are an incredibly painful dental procedure — however, this is not always the case. After all, a local anesthetic is applied to the area well before your dentist starts drilling, and even then, all you’ll really feel is a little vibration. Any pain you experience from a root canal treatment will likely be after the anesthesia has worn off, which you can remedy by taking iBuprofen, aspirin, or any other kind of over-the-counter pain medication from your local drugstore (in moderation, of course). In most cases, any lingering pain from a root canal treatment will wear off in just a few days if you maintain good brushing and flossing habits.

THE PURPOSE OF ROOT CANALS IS TO SAVE THE TOOTH

Most dental professionals will tell you that tooth extraction is their last course of action, and that they would much rather save your natural tooth. This is because teeth are much easier to save than replace (unless you want dental implants or a partial denture), especially if the issue is an infected nerve that can be removed in a single dental appointment. The fact of the matter is that if bacteria finds its way into the nerve of a tooth (via a crack, cavity, or broken filling), it will attack and destroy the pulp, which cannot repair itself. This bacteria can even infect and weaken the tooth itself, leading to tooth decay and potentially a missing tooth.

Obviously, the best way to avoid this is by being diligent about brushing and flossing your teeth, in addition to visiting your local dentist for bi-annual teeth cleanings and x-rays. However, these nerve infections can still happen when you least expect them, and it’s best to catch them early so you can remedy the situation before it’s too late. That’s why we offer a range of restorative dentistry procedures here at Trillium Dental — our mission is to do whatever it takes to save your teeth, even if that means removing a damaged nerve or applying dental crowns or dental bridges. Anyone in the field of family dentistry will agree that nothing is better than having natural teeth, even though there are other options out there like same-day dental implants.

ROOT CANAL SYMPTOMS AREN’T ALWAYS OBVIOUS

Lots of patients who visit our Ottawa dental clinic for a root canal treatment didn’t even know they had a damaged or infected nerve under their tooth until we discovered it. That’s because these infections are subtle at first and disguise themselves as temporary toothaches or tooth sensitivity. However, these symptoms will worsen with time as the infection attacks the pulp, so it’s best to make a dental appointment to have things checked out before they get worse. Here are some symptoms to watch out for if you think you might need a root canal:

• Severe, persistent tooth pain when chewing
• Heightened tooth sensitivity (especially when exposed to hot or cold temperatures)
• Tooth discoloration
• Tender, swollen gums

SCHEDULE A DENTAL APPOINTMENT AT TRILLIUM DENTAL IN OTTAWA

At the end of the day, root canals aren’t as big a deal as many people make them out to be, as the procedure is quick and recovery time is short. Plus, the anesthesia eliminates most (if not all) of the pain during the treatment, which means that you can have the damaged nerve removed and the cavity filled without feeling any pain at all. That being said, it’s still good to have some over-the-counter pain relievers on hand for a few days after the root canal so you can offset any pain you experience as your tooth recovers.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of a damaged or infected nerve mentioned above, be sure to visit your local dental clinic as soon as possible. While you could be experiencing a minor toothache, it is still worth it to make sure you don’t have an infected nerve that will turn into a larger problem down the road. Contact us today to learn more about root canal treatments, and book your dental appointment at Trillium Dental in Ottawa!