Are you a nervous dental patient?

You’re not alone if you become nervous every time you have to make a dental appointment. It’s a sad fact that many Australians suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia. They put off having dental examinations and treatment, and hope their dental problems will simply go away. The truth is dental problems just get worse. Holes get bigger, infections spread and gum disease destroys more bone leaving teeth wobbly. Here at NQ Surgical Dentistry we believe there really is no sense in delaying treatment because whatever treatment is required just gets more complex, more costly and more extensive.

So what can you do?

Stop worrying for a start because help is at hand here in Townsville. You can have dental treatment provided under intravenous sedation at NQ Surgical Dentistry in Pimlico where we run sedation clinics each week. Dental treatment under sedation is not new to the region; Colin Priestland has been providing this care in Townsville for 10 years and has been providing intravenous sedation now for well over 25 years.

What treatment can be performed under sedation?

Although we primarily offer dental surgery, implant surgery and gum disease treatment, we will also provide fillings and more advanced restorative care including crowns and bridgework for patients who are so nervous they cannot receive general dental care without sedation. Please note: we do not offer general dentistry to patients who are able to accept treatment under local anaesthetic.

Why is intravenous sedation useful?

Dental anxiety or dental phobia is only one of several reasons why intravenous sedation is used to help manage patients. It can also be used to help patients who cannot tolerate dental instruments or the dentist’s gloved fingers in their mouth without setting off a severe gag reflex. Gagging makes it impossible to provide good quality dental treatment especially when trying to fill back teeth, which is why intravenous sedation is the answer for many patients.

Eliminate dental anxiety

All anxiety is eliminated with intravenous sedation and after the treatment session there is no memory of the dental procedure. The majority of patients who receive treatment with sedation find it boosts their confidence in coping with dentistry in a way they have never before experienced. No longer nervous, the majority have even become regulars and have started to look after their mouths; something they could never do before. This gives us a great feeling of satisfaction.

A highly trained and caring team

Dr Colin Priestland and Lauren Camilleri are highly trained in the use of IV sedation and have worked together now for 10 years caring for anxious patients in North Queensland. They maintain regular updated training and use only the most up to date and tried and tested equipment and techniques to offer patients the safest possible sedation.

Dr Colin Priestland is endorsed by the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency(AHPRA) to provide intravenous sedation in dentistry. Colin maintains regular training as required by AHPRA. He has been involved in providing IV sedation for patients since 1986. Colin is a former lecturer and examiner in intravenous dental sedation in the United Kingdom and has been using this effective method of patient management to help nervous patients and “gaggers” accept dental care without a care for 27 years. Colin works with Lauren Camilleri, a Registered Nurse with 25 years experience nursing in Intensive Care Units and Post-Natal Intensive Care Units. Lauren maintains regular life support training in line with AHPRA regulations.

If you feel that this additional technique may help you to accept much needed treatment please contact the friendly team at NQ Surgical Dentistry today on (07) 4725 1656 or call in to see us at 183 Kings Rd, Pimlico QLD 4812