Fear of the dentist -
Your dentist for anxiety patients
Many people experience discomfort and anxiety before going to the dentist. However, it is important to know that modern dentistry is designed to be comfortable and pain-free. The DR. HAGER | dentists and their staff are trained and specialized in helping patients overcome their fears so that their visit to the dentist is a pleasant one.
- Specialized in dental anxiety
- Absolutely painless treatment methods
- Family practice for 40 years, in 2nd generation
Sensitive, painless dental treatment in Constance and Bietingen, especially for anxious patients
Our dental practice team specializes in the treatment of anxiety patients. We take your dental anxiety seriously and respond to your individual wishes regarding treatment.
In detail this means:
- We predict every step of the treatment so that you are not taken by surprise.
- We have developed special techniques to ensure that there is never any pain during treatment.
- Our entire team is specially trained to treat you with sensitivity and to take your needs and fears seriously.
- We treat you without pain!
Find out more about our practice in our patient interviews
“Almost every second patient is afraid of going to the dentist. It is often the unpleasant feeling of toothache or the idea of the anaesthetic dental injection. We dentists at Dr. Hager have developed a concept for calming and reducing anxiety. Injections are barely noticeable and are administered sensitively. In more severe cases, we also always have the option of sedating the patient with nitrous oxide. After just a few minutes, they relax and anxiety and worry disappear. You can find more information on how this treatment can help you in our article on nitrous oxide sedation.”
Dr. Benjamin Hager
How does a treatment with us work?
First step: Making contact
We want to give our patients an environment of trust. Nobody likes going to the dentist, which is why every appointment should be as pleasant as possible for the patient. And that’s what our patients get. For our patients we apply a special concept exactly for these situations. Feedback from anxious patients shows us that our efforts are worthwhile.
Second step: allay fears
During the first examination appointment, patients already feel the pleasant contact without any time pressure. Their concerns and wishes are discussed together with the help of pictures and explanations. Once a suitable course of treatment has been found, we go through the upcoming treatments step by step with the patients and any family members so that the patients know exactly what to expect. The fixed choice of a DR. HAGER | dentist is a matter of course for us.
Conclusion: Appointment booking
As soon as patients have made their decision, they can simply book their first appointment online. The 3-month price commitment helps them to take enough time to think things over. Before and after each appointment there is a short meeting to clarify any questions. This makes the patients happy and we feel the trust placed in us.
Testimonials from our patients
Fear of the dentist - the background
- Fear of the dentist is widespread. Patients who set foot in the dental practice are still frightened and have a queasy feeling.
- Toothache is often the most unpleasant pain for people and so pain is feared during treatment.
- This is clearly shown by a scientific survey which states that 50% of people who need urgent treatment still do not visit the dentist because of their fear.
- Historically, this fear is deeply rooted in people, as not even 30 years ago teeth were pulled and cavities removed without any anesthetic. The traumatic experiences of parents are considered to be the cause of dental anxiety. All this happened even though the means were available.
The New York surgeon William Stewart Halsted performed the first anaesthesia in dentistry using cocaine in 1885. Cocaine, which was later abused as a drug, was first used in ophthalmology. Halsted was the first to use these pioneering achievements in dentistry.
- It is therefore very surprising that many dentists did not make use of local anesthetics in the twentieth century. If injections were used in the past, however, it was not enough to reduce patients' fear of the dentist. The syringes, called cannulas, were very thick and caused pain and fear.
- Nowadays, with the widespread use of anesthetics, very thin cannulas (syringes), the patient's fear of the dentist is taken away.
- In addition, many new methods have been used in dentistry to make treatment easier. These include nitrous oxide sedation, general anesthesia and other methods.
The gentle use of the syringe and its effects and benefits, especially for anxious patients
- With a specially developed application of anesthesia procedures, patients at DR. HAGER | Zahnärzte takes away the fear of pain right from the start.
- After a few minutes, the effect becomes apparent and the local areas required for the treatment are anaesthetized and fall asleep. Incidentally, the bitter taste does not come from the anesthetic, but from its preservative, which makes storage possible in the first place.
- If the patient is anesthetized, the anesthesia lasts longer to ensure that the procedure is pain-free. It becomes more demanding for the dentist if the patient has delayed their visit to the practice for a long time.
- Inflammation is often already at an advanced stage. It is then difficult for a local anesthetic to work in this area. What is the reason for this? Inflammation creates a very acidic environment in the tissue, which reduces the effect of medication in the case of inflammation. It is therefore important to visit the dentist at early signs of pain and generally for an annual check-up.
- If this does not happen and the inflamed area does not become numb, the dentist can usually help himself by first starting antibiotic therapy to put the inflammation on pause. The anesthetic can then take effect at the next visit and the cause of the pain can be treated.
We deal with anxiety patients in our dental practices every day
That is why we pay particular attention to gentle, high-quality treatment, where we are very sensitive to anxiety. After the treatment, it is a great feeling when patients tell us about their positive experience and we realize that most patients come to us because of a recommendation.
Other modern methods and pain-free procedures for anxious patients
- Nowadays, patients with dental pain have many options for pain-free treatment. Laughing gas, for example, has already achieved enormous importance in dental treatment. More and more dentists are offering this sedation with laughing gas, as it is easy to use and puts the anxious patient in a relaxed state.
- How is nitrous oxide used? Nitrous oxide sedation, also known as light anesthesia, is considered one of the safest and most modern methods for providing patients with anxiety-free and relaxed treatment.
Sedation with nitrous oxide has its roots in the 19th century. A major advantage for the patient is that they remain responsive throughout the treatment and never lose consciousness.
- Using the flow meter, which was specially developed for dentists, the nitrous oxide is first mixed with oxygen (O2 and N2O gas). The mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide is then administered to the patient via a small nasal mask. The exhaled air is also extracted via the nasal mask. Patients subsequently report positive experiences with a completely relaxed feeling, a happy attitude to life and pain-free treatment.
- General anesthesia is also a method of relieving dental anxiety. However, they usually involve too much effort and disproportionate risk compared to nitrous oxide, for example to treat caries or inflamed gums.
For anxious patients
Where does my fear come from?
Often the first step for people to overcome dental anxiety is to come to terms with the real reason for their fear. The reasons often lie in the parents’ fear, which was also justified at the time, but no longer has much in common with today. As a child, this fear of the dentist is then taken for granted.
For anxious patients
Natural home remedies
Before going to the dentist, many anxious patients turn to calming home remedies such as chamomile or lavender oil to help them relax. These natural remedies can help to reduce anxiety and make the visit more comfortable. Open communication with the dentist about anxiety is important in order to be treated sensitively. Ultimately, the goal is for patients to feel comfortable and confident about their oral health treatment.
For anxious patients
We respond to your fears and wishes
Dr. HAGER | dentists take special care to respond to the wishes of anxious patients. It can also be helpful to explain individual steps and provide information about the steps of the treatment before and during the procedure in order to reduce anxiety.
Visit our dental practice for anxiety patients
and the entire Dr Hager team
Frequently asked questions about fear of the dentist
What does dental phobia mean?
Dental phobia is the fear of the dentist or dental treatment, possibly triggered by a trauma in childhood or bad experiences with pain during treatment, for example.
What can you do or what helps if you are afraid of the dentist?
It is very good if you talk to your dentist about this so that we can address your concerns individually and find the most comfortable way for you.
Why does the injection not work to deactivate the sensitivity of the tooth?
Patients often suffer from acute inflammation of the tooth, gums or jaw, which is already well advanced. This acidic inflammatory environment sometimes makes it impossible to ensure complete anaesthesia. In this case, a preliminary course of antibiotics usually helps to alleviate the symptoms for the subsequent appointment and thus successfully complete the treatment of the tooth or gum under safe anesthesia.
Does the treatment at Dr. HAGER | Zahnärzte always involve anesthesia in case of pain?
Yes, we attach great importance to carrying out our dental treatments with local anesthetics. Be it tooth decay, gum treatment, toothache or minor surgical procedures – Dr. HAGER | dentists always treat the affected area gently and without pain. We use gentle methods to eliminate the cause of the toothache. Whether nitrous oxide, conduction anesthesia or local anesthesia – each of our methods is designed to take away the patient’s fear of the dentist in the future.
How can the dentist take away the fear of the dentist?
It is not always easy for dentists to overcome dental anxiety due to the past, when local anesthetics were often not used. Just 30 years ago, it was by no means normal for dentists to perform dental treatment with anesthesia. So it is not surprising that this generation has established a great fear of the dentist. At Dr. HAGER | Zahnärzte, we have been using local anaesthetics since we opened our dental practice 40 years ago. To take away the fear, we talk about the individual steps if necessary and thus help to make dental anxiety a thing of the past as quickly as possible. In general, at Dr. HAGER | Zahnärzte in Konstanz and Bietingen, we strive to achieve a state of health in education and dental hygiene that will also make toothache a thing of the past for our patients in the future.
What causes toothache?
This is often caused by a lack of oral hygiene. If proper dental care is not carried out on a daily basis, bacteria can attack healthy teeth and cause tooth decay. Bacteria work their way further and further into the tooth and reach the inner layers of the tooth. Stimuli such as cold water, sweet foods or fruit acids come closer and closer to the nerve in the tooth, causing the familiar toothache. Bacteria can also cause inflammation of the gums. This allows the bacteria to settle in the gum pockets and move deeper and deeper towards the root of the tooth. This also causes toothache.