This is NOVA Dental Anesthesia.
If the thought of going to the dentist makes you nervous, you are not alone. About 75% of adults have some type of anxiety about sitting down in the dentist’s treatment chair. But you don’t have to fear the drill — or the pain and discomfort associated with dental treatments.
From teeth cleanings and X-rays to fillings and complex procedures, the dentists at NOVA Dental Anesthesia in Burke, Virginia, aim to take the worry out of your experience. They do that, said Dr. Wissam Ali, a NOVA Dental Anesthesia dentist anesthesiologist, because of the importance of good dental health to overall health care.
Why is oral care so important to overall health?
The mouth is the gateway to the entire body, Ali pointed out. “Usually, we notice with good oral care, there is a correlation with good overall health.”
Poor oral hygiene often correlates to other medical conditions, including heart disease, stroke, pregnancy abnormalities or complications. When bacteria travels into the bloodstream and down the respiratory and digestive tract, it can affect the entire body, Ali said.
Oral wellness also can affect a person’s self-esteem. “People don’t feel very good about themselves when they can’t show their teeth,” he said.
What is sedation dentistry?
At NOVA Dental, the service include sedation dentistry — a technique using medications to relax and calm the patient before a procedure. Sedation is tailored to each patient’s needs and can include “anything from mild sedation, also known as twilight sleep, to general anesthesia that most people have experienced in a hospital for medical surgery,” Ali said.
The sedation level depends on the individual and what type of procedure will be performed. “If we see a patient for a lot of dental work, we are going to do general anesthesia. But when they come back for their cleanings, we might do mild IV sedation,” he said.
There can even be flexibility during a dental procedure. If the dentist notices anxiety spiking, the care plan can be modified on the spot. The dentist will pause, talk to the patient and switch to a different sedation for a short period of time.
“Most offices don’t have the privilege of doing that because they have to call in an anesthesiologist,” Ali said. “Sometimes, just knowing that you have options, we can get the patient through it. With us, it’s very easy. We let the patient drive the car.”
Who is a candidate for sedation dentistry?
In addition to treating people with anxiety, NOVA Dental Anesthesia also treats patients with special needs including ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, emotional challenges, epilepsy and much more.
“We also have patients that don’t have any anxiety” but who benefit from sedation, Ali said. Some people have a hard time getting numb with traditional protocols, have a sensitive gag reflex or are just too busy to tackle extensive dental work that could take multiple visits over a prolonged period of time.
An example of an extensive procedure would be extracting many(or all teeth), placing multiple implants in the mouth and inserting a denture that is fully supported by the dental implants. With sedation, such a procedure can all be done in a single day, making recovery quicker and easier, Ali said.
“It’s a pretty revolutionary treatment.”
Take the first step
Making the phone call to get started is often the hardest part of the process. But once a patient, parent or caretaker reaches out, the team at NOVA Dental Anesthesia will take care of the rest, Ali said.
“It’s up to us to make it as pleasant of an experience as possible and inform the patient, give them options, help them with financing. The biggest thing is to just pick up the phone and call. Then, let us guide you through this journey. Whatever type of person you are, we will find a way for you.”
Learn more about sedation dentistry on the NOVA Dental Anesthesia website, and discover additional tips and tactics to get on top of your health on WTOP.
