Let’s face it: the people who truly enjoy dental appointments are in the minority. For tens of millions of Americans, if not more, the idea of going to the dentist carries some level of discomfort, anxiety, or even outright fear. At The Smile Center in Murrells Inlet, we understand dental anxiety and how to help patients get the care they need.

What Anxiety Is And What We Do About It

Anxiety basically means you don’t know what’s going to happen and not knowing bothers you. That may sound overly simple, but it’s accurate. Knowing what’s going to happen can take away a lot of the anxiety. At our Murrells Inlet dental practice, we’re happy to explain every step of a procedure if you like. Or not – people have different comfort levels with that idea.

What you can always count on is that you’re being attended to by compassionate, caring, and skilled staff. We make your comfort a priority beginning with maintaining a calm and relaxed atmosphere in our office. We also offer your choice of comfort options including:

  • Warm blankets to keep the chill away
  • Neck pillows for your comfort
  • A choice of beverages
  • TVs and headphones to help distract you.

We know that many people are uncomfortable with the numbing injection before the procedure begins. That’s why we’re proud to offer The Wand®, a handheld too that painlessly delivers the anesthesia. No, really – painlessly. Not only will you not feel any discomfort, you won’t have that lingering and annoying numbness afterward!

For some people, it’s not the prospect of a little pain that’s bothersome but the sounds associated with dentistry – the whine of the drill, for instance. For small areas of decay, we can use air abrasion, a technique that shoots a tiny stream of particles at the area to remove decay. There’s no whine, no burning smell, no friction.

For Those Who Need More

People who have had unpleasant or painful dental appointments before often need some additional help relaxing. We offer two levels of dental sedation to help you do just that – relax.

Inhaled sedation sounds just like what it is – a mixture of a sedative gas and air that you breathe in comfortably. It takes effect within seconds and induces a sense of relaxation and calm. The effects wear off almost immediately once the flow of gas is stopped, so you’ll be able to drive afterward. Inhaled sedation has been used safely for nearly a century.

Oral sedation comes in the form of a pill that you take at a predetermined time before your appointment. It causes a much deeper level of relaxation, and you’ll definitely need someone to drive you to and from your appointment. It’s a bad idea to try to drive while you’re sedated.

Don’t Let Anxiety Keep You From Getting Needed Care

Putting off dental care can result in more extensive problems that take more time and cost more to resolve. Some dental issues can even endanger your general health – chronic gum disease, for instance.

Discover just how relaxed your dental appointment can be. Call The Smile Center in 843-492-5026 for (Georgetown) or 843-491-5353 for (Murrells Inlet) to schedule a consultation.