Don’t Be Afraid of Your Dentist

If you have ignored your oral health by avoiding regular trips to the dentist due to fear, you are in good company. It is a lot more common than you might think.

At Butte Family Dentistry we know that lots of folks in Montana (and elsewhere) deal with daily anxiety. This feeling can affect all aspects of your life and it is usually intensified when your thoughts turn towards addressing your dental needs.

There are actually a number of reasons people opt to steer clear of their dentists. But over the years, we have found that many times the main underlying reason people stay away is that they simply view going to the dentist as a rather unpleasant (if necessary) experience.

In fact, in the vast majority of cases, the only thing that ultimately motivates fearful people to return is some sort of dental emergency (or the onset of severe pain) that requires immediate attention.
Your aversion might be based on past personal experiences or those nagging pop culture generalizations that have adhered to our profession over time. Whatever your situation, you don’t have to be afraid any longer.

Positive Attitudes & Gentle Manners

When you have been away from the dentist’s chair for a lengthy stretch of time, we know that the fear of the unknown and the looming possibility of a lecture on oral health best practices only adds to your nervousness. We promise to take it easy on you.

Our compassionate and mild mannered crew appreciates that if you are even contemplating scheduling an appointment at Butte Family Dentistry, that is a giant leap (and a courageous one at that) forward for you.
And we will meet you where you are and take all these factors into consideration when outlining your individualized treatment plan. The time is now to get your oral health back on track.

We Will Ease Your Fears at Butte Family Dentistry

When you plan your visit to our dental office, you will find some encouraging news and potential options to help us meet your needs:

  • A Kind & Caring Staff – No matter how long you’ve been away from the dentist, we will welcome you back and get right to work helping you resolve whatever dental pain and general anxiety you may be experiencing. Trust us, we help anxious patients every day, and we are quite good at making our patients feel at ease. Moreover, we are the only practice in the Butte, Montana region with three doctors working in collaboration, bouncing ideas off each other, and offering our patients the best of all of us.
  • Nitrous Oxide – Just say NO to fear! This is the laughing gas option that everyone seems to know from TV, movies, etc. The gas will certainly make you feel relaxed, and this sedation option will allow you to remain conscious. We tend to use it for our fearful/anxious patients who are facing one of our minor dental procedures. Nitrous oxide is painlessly delivered through a rubber inhaler mask that fits over your nose. And when you are finished, the effects of nitrous typically subside within a few minutes.
  • Oral Conscious Sedation – This is perfect for those who require a deeper level of conscious sedation than nitrous oxide. With oral conscious sedation, a pill is taken (as the name suggests) by mouth prior to your dental procedure to help you feel more at ease. Our team is very experienced with this approach.
  • I.V. Sedation – I.V. Sedation relieves you from having to battle fear the entire time we are working in your mouth. This quicker and more predictable sedation option allows our team to moderate the level of sedation throughout your procedure. This is good news for patients who have an active fear of dentistry. I.V. sedation is primarily employed during more complex dental procedures or during minor activities that might require an extended period of time to complete.
  • Private Rooms – At Butte Family Dentistry, we understand that when you are undergoing a dental procedure you want some privacy. Our team wants you to feel comfortable, not vulnerable and self-conscious when you are in our office.
  • Pillows and Blankets – We provide these for any patient looking for a little extra comfort and security.

Get Back On the Good Road Today

Just remember that whatever level of anxiety you are dealing with, we are here to help ease your fears. And we are more than ready to get you started back on the path to oral health and wellness right away.
If you would like to make an appointment, or have any questions about our sedation dentistry options please contact us today.