All to often many patients put off going to the dentist because of prior negative experiences with their in office oral care. This fear can be quite debilitating and many patients will endure much dental pain before reluctantly making an appointment for treatment. It does not have to be this way. Dr. Vlahos and his caring team in St. Catharines can help you overcome your fear and anxiety of dental treatment many ways. First and foremost, his patients have control over their experience. Dr. Vlahos will carefully explain, in a non judgemental manner, your particular problem and how it can be treated quickly and effectively. It is very important that Dr. Vlahos understands your particular concern over what aspect of dental treatment is troublesome to you. He will tailor your treatment to minimize your concern. For example, if injections are of a concern, he will use lots of topical anaesthetic which will numb the area prior to the administration of local anaesthetic. Furthermore, during the injection, he will proceed slowly which will allow the anaesthetic to gently diffuse through the tissue. This will minimize the discomfort caused by the injection to the point that it is usually barely perceptible. These techniques allow the patient to be adequately numb and then will feel minimal discomfort during the actual treatment. Dr. Vlahos recognizes that some patients might need other treatment modalities to allow them to get the treatment done. One such modality is nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas). A simple yet effective sedative that can be delivered at an appropriate level to allow the patient to relax during their appointment. Often, patients will remark that they do not recall much of their appointment and that it was for the most part, unremarkable. These patients can also go home on their own and drive their car with no issues. Another modality is an oral sedative pill. This can be very effective as well but requires the patient to be accompanied by an adult to their appointment and be driven home. The sedative can also last for hours after their appointment. For those patients who require a more advanced modality, nitrous oxide can be combined with an oral sedative to produce a more profound effect. If you think that sedation dentistry might be right for you, please call our office at 905-937-4673 for a free consultation. You can discuss your concerns with Dr. Vlahos and he will gladly explain all of your options for you carefully. Dr. Vlahos has been providing this service for the patients of St. Catharines and the Niagara region for over 14 years.