Anxiety Management / Hypnotherapy

There are many ways to manage dental anxiety and a great deal depends on the level of anxiety that needs to be overcome. We have successfully helped many patients to conquer their fear through building trust and understanding their needs. Sometimes a patient’s fear can be so overwhelming the mere thought of entering the building can prove too much. Some patients have endured years of pain and suffering through a deep rooted fear of dentists.

Sedation

We do offer intravenous sedation at the practice which involves an injection of a drug through a small cannula that is placed into a vein in your hand or arm. It will produce a level of relaxation so you are able to cope with your dental treatment. You are still awake and will be able to communicate with the staff treating you throughout the procedure but you may not remember much about the procedure afterwards. You will still require a local anaesthetic injection in your mouth but this is only administered after you have been sedated. Having sedation requires you to bring another responsible adult who can wait for you and take you home afterwards (by taxi or car). Although initial recovery takes about one hour, you will need the rest of the day for all the sedative to wear off. Reflexes will be slower and decision making impaired therefore in the following 24 hours you would be unable to drive, use machinery or domestic appliances and it would be advised that you rest quietly at home. Prior to your treatment appointment, a consultation would be done to ensure you have all the information you need before signing a consent form to go ahead. We encourage you to ask as many questions as you feel you need to about the procedure.

Sedation is extremely effective and safe, offering temporary respite from anxiety enabling patients to cope with their dental treatment.

NO dental practice provides the service of general anaesthetic anymore.

Hypnotherapy

We are pleased to be able to offer our patients Hypnotherapy from a local professional called Emma Armes who we have recently welcomed to our team.

Hypnosis is a still underused but powerful non-pharmacological tool in dentistry. It has been shown to help patients with dental anxiety and phobia as well as those with a severe gag reflex. Due to its non chemical nature, hypnotherapy can be used in cases where there are existing medical conditions, offering a risk free alternative. Or in cases where other forms of behavioural techniques may have failed.

Hypnosis can only be carried out on an individual who is willing to give the therapist their co-operation. During hypnosis the patient is not asleep, only relaxed, comfortable, focused, and in a state of daydream type thinking. The analysing, thinking mind (Conscious mind) is turned off and the feeling and intuitive and creative mind (Subconscious) is aware of everything that is going on.

Under hypnosis the root cause of your issue is found, dealt with and then released for good, allowing you to move forward. You can also be taught a simple, yet effective, self-hypnosis technique to allow you to stay calm and relaxed in stressful situations. Hypnosis can not only help you conquer dental fears but has shown to improve mental well-being in many areas of life.

Emma can help you with anxiety, fears and phobias about dental treatments by using a blend of clinical hypnosis, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).

Emma is registered with both the General Hypnotherapy Register and the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council and is fully insured for her practice.

If you would like help with your dental anxiety / phobia please contact Emma directly on 07415 535445 for a friendly chat with no obligation.

She can also be contacted through the dental practice by email at emma@arduthie.com or visit her website for more information.

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