Dentists want to make you happy. No matter what, most dentists have the ultimate goal of changing your life for the better. Whether that means helping you relax at the dentist’s office or talking you through dental anxieties, your dentist will do what he can.

When you visit us at Irresistible Smiles in Chula Vista, we care about your comfortability and happiness. Tell us about any of your special needs and we’ll be sure to comply with them. So talk to your dentist–you might even learn some interesting facts about him!

Your Dentist is Here to Help You

Dr. Shahin Safarian gives back to the dentistry field while he practices his work. He has set industry standards with his dental research and spreads the word through national and international lectures. Because of this, our office is a leader in advanced dental technology and treatment methods.

However, you will get to know Dr. Safarian for more than his intellect and renowned research.  His patients know him for his kindness, patience, and dedication to each and every one of them. When you visit Irresistible Smiles, you’ll get the best dental experience, technology, and treatment possible.

Meet Dr. Safarian

Crazy enough, before he went to dental school, Dr. Safarian was a professional soccer player. Yes, you heard that right. The guy who cleans your teeth every six months has some serious moves on the soccer field! Next time you visit us, ask him about his time with Puebla F.C.A. and the San Diego Sockers.

After playing soccer, Dr. Safarian went to Tufts University for his dental degree. Since his graduation, he continues his education by averaging about 150 hours of study time each year in areas such as TMJ, dental implants, orthodontics, and cosmetic dentistry. In other words, your dentist in Chula Vista and San Diego is different from other dentists because he values education very highly. When you visit Irresistible Smiles, we will provide the most advanced treatments with the newest technology.

Your Cosmetic Dentist in the San Diego Area

Your dentist plays a big role in your smile, facial comfort, and confidence. He will help you maintain your oral health while staying calm and positive at the dentist’s office. That’s why it’s up to you to choose the best dentist for your family.

If you need a dentist who you can trust, schedule an appointment with Dr. Safarian. He is friendly, patient, and knows the most advanced dental procedures. We ensure you that your visit will be as comfortable and easy as possible. Schedule an appointment with Irresistible Smiles online or call us in Chula Vista at (619) 656-6785.

The post Don’t Be Afraid of Your Dentist–Talk to Him appeared first on Lovebites Dental.

If you avoid the dentist until you have five cavities, it’s time to make dentistry painless! Sedation dentistry can help you show up to your regular appointments.

Sometimes, your hesitation about visiting your dentist doesn’t even involve dental anxiety. It could be fear of pain, tooth sensitivity, or overwhelming past experiences holding you back.

However, preventing proper dental care will only make matters worse. When you visit Irresistible Smiles, Dr. Safarian will show you a better way with sedation dentistry.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Our dentist uses sedation dentistry to help patients relax. Commonly referred to as “sleep dentistry,” sedation dentistry guides patients into drowsiness.

In reality, it has different levels of effectiveness. If you’re interested, we encourage you to speak to Dr. Safarian about your options. Different methods and medication types are available to ensure your comfort.

Minimal Sedation

As the name suggests, minimal sedation is the least aggressive type of sleep dentistry. One of the common types of minimal sedation is using an anxiety pill. This anxiety pill calms the patient by increasing drowsiness. When we give the pill, usually Halcion, the patient feels relief in the 30 minutes before the procedure.

Another type of minimal sedation is laughing gas, where the patient inhales nitrous oxide. During this process, patients receive a small amount of the drug to feel happy and relaxed. With a short-term lifespan, patients can take nitrous oxide then drive themselves home afterward. With laughing gas, patients feel warm and happy while experiencing no pain.

Moderate Sedation

Like the minimal sedation method, we often use pills to aid relaxation with moderate sedation. For this treatment, we will give the patient a larger dose of medication. During moderate sedation, the patient will sometimes fall asleep due to drowsiness. However, this is not a deep sleep and we can easily wake the patient.

When patients receive moderate sedation dentistry, we require a separate driver present. Though the effects of the sedative wear off by the next morning, it is unsafe to drive oneself home post-procedure.

Deep Sedation and General Anesthesia

Whether you’re having a larger operation or you need stronger medication for anxiety, we have other options. With deep sedation, we administer general anesthesia so you’re almost or entirely unconscious.

While you are under anesthesia, you will sleep until the medication wears off. If need be, we may also awaken you from deep sedation with other medication.

We provide deep sedation with intravenous (IV) fluid. When we hook up the IV, patients fall asleep within two to three minutes. With deep sedation, we also require a driver to take you home after your dentistry appointment.

Irresistible Smiles Is Your Choice for Relaxed Dentistry

If sedation dentistry sounds like the perfect solution to your dental anxiety, come see Dr. Safarian. Call our San Diego office or schedule an appointment online.

The post Sedation Dentistry Helps You Relax appeared first on Lovebites Dental.

With sedation dentistry, you won’t think twice about seeing your dentist anymore, as this technique will ensure that your every appointment will be pleasant, comfortable, and pain-free.

Most patients cower in fear upon knowing that they need to go to their dentist, causing them to skip any treatment they badly need.

But of course, these are not the only benefits of the technique. There’s a whole lot more – and that’s what we will tackle in this article.

Irresistible Smiles offers sedation dentistry from three convenient locations.

It allows patients to survive lengthy appointments

More often than not, dentists worry about their patient feeling exhausted, so they tend to work faster and sacrifice the quality of their work.

Among the drugs that will be used for sedation are muscle relaxants. These drugs help relax the jaw muscles to the point of paralyzing them.

This enables patients to keep their mouth open for hours without causing jaw soreness after. Healing time will also be faster. Sedation dentistry is therefore ideal for complex procedures like root canal treatment and implant surgery, which require more than one lengthy appointment.

It controls the patient’s gag reflex

Another useful benefit of sedation dentistry is the control of gag reflex, which allows the dentist to work more efficiently and provide better results.

If you are one of those who that strong urge to vomit whenever the dentist operates on your mouth, sedatives can help you get rid of that feeling.

It will also allow your dentist to concentrate more because he or she won’t have to worry about gagging or any other unnecessary patient movements.

It is best used for children, mentally-challenged, and disabled patients

While sedation dentistry is indicated for anyone, it is best used in children and patients with mental issues.

These patients are often the most uncooperative, requiring the dentist to seek additional help from his or her staff while doing the treatment.

Using sedatives makes cooperation from these patients a whole lot better, enabling the dentist to perform the entire treatment alone.

In disabled patients, cooperation is not really much of a problem, but they may produce sudden movements that can sometimes make it difficult for the dentist to carry out the treatment.

The muscle relaxants used for the technique can be of great help in such case.

It provides little or no memory of treatment

Having little or no memory of the treatment will help you make less fearful of it. Should you remember something, it will only be a couple of minutes of the procedure and not its entirety.

This is particularly beneficial when undergoing traumatic procedures like gum surgery, wisdom tooth surgery, or multiple extractions.

It creates an overall stress-free experience for both the patient and the dentist

It gives them the opportunity to maintain and improve their oral health, as they won’t have to be afraid of going to the dentist anymore. Sedation dentistry allows the patient to be comfortable while receiving treatment, while the dentist will be able to work more efficiently to provide great results.

The post Why Dentists Recommend Sedation Dentistry appeared first on Lovebites Dental.

If you or someone you know suffer from dental anxiety and often don’t want to go to the dentist to get the treatment they need, sedation dentistry might be the answer you’re looking for.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry refers to the method of administering a sedative or a combination of sedative drugs to a patient who shivers with extreme dental fear and anxiety.

What drugs are used in sedation dentistry?

As the name suggests, the drugs used in sedation dentistry are sedatives.

These sedatives work by depressing the area of the brain associated with consciousness. Sedative drugs include anti-anxiety drugs (ex. diazepam and midazolam), barbiturates, opioid analgesics, and anesthetics.

The most commonly used sedative is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, which also acts as an analgesic.

How are these drugs administered?

Sedatives are administered mainly through inhalation or intravenous (IV) injection. The oral route may also be done in patients who require moderate sedation. All three are proven to be safe and effective.

Inhalation sedation is more commonly performed, especially since most patients faint at the sight of needles. It is a mild form of sedation that makes use of nitrous oxide.

This combination usually consists of an anti-anxiety drug, a barbiturate, and an opined. Regardless of the route, local anesthetics will still be used to induce numbness at the surgical site.

Will I be asleep while on sedatives?

The level of sedation ranges from mild to deep, depending on the extent of the procedure and your level of fear or anxiety.

Mild sedation will only make you feel drowsy, while deep sedation causes you to fall asleep and place you in a dream-like state. In moderate sedation, you are awake enough to respond to purposeful stimulation.

How does sedation dentistry differ from general anesthesia?

Sedation dentistry, particularly IV sedation, will put you in a relaxed state which may cause you to fall in deep sleep during the entire procedure just like in general anesthesia.

The main difference, however, is that you are still in control of your breathing while sedated.

In general anesthesia, your body won’t be able to control itself so you have to rely on equipment’s to do the breathing for you.

Given this, general anesthesia must be done in a hospital setting, whereas sedation dentistry may be performed in a dental clinic.

Both sedation and general anesthesia, nonetheless, will leave you will very little or no memory of the procedure. It would feel as though the entire treatment took a few minutes only when in fact it was a couple of hours.

Is sedation dentistry safe?

Sedation dentistry is generally safe particularly if done by a trained professional.

Discuss with your dentist the possible risks, especially if you have any obstructive systemic conditions.

How much does sedation dentistry cost?

The cost depends on how extensive the treatment will be and what type of sedation it requires.

During your initial appointment, your dentist will examine your mouth and formulate a treatment plan accordingly. The best method of sedation will be identified based on what treatment you need.

The dental staff will also provide you with an estimated cost. Your insurance plan may cover some of the total cost.

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