Anxiety and Sedation

At Saddleback Valley Endodontics, it is amongst our top priority to ensure that you are comfortable during your treatment.  If you have significant dental anxiety or phobia, it is important that we first acknowledge and discuss this, so that we may develop a plan together that best ensures your comfort and optimal outcome.  This may include some level of sedation or general anesthesia. 

For the vast majority of people, endodontic treatment is comfortable and well tolerated with the use of local anesthetics alone.  If you do not have difficulty with routine dental care (fillings, crowns, etc), then typically you will not have difficulty with endodontic care.  Patients are frequently surprised by the ease of their endodontic treatment in our office, and actually experience relief from their symptoms.

It may be normal for you to be feeling some anxiety, perhaps of an unknown procedure or new doctor, or perhaps from a prior experience of not being totally numb.  We routinely use specialized methods and techniques in our office to obtain "profound numbness". If you have had difficulty getting numb in the past, it is very likely that you will benefit from these specialized approaches.

Some patients do however have limitations that can only be overcome with some level of relaxation or sedation.  Other limitations beyond severe dental anxiety and phobia may include a severe gagging reflex, limited opening, and mental or physical limitations.  We have several options that allow us to routinely accommodate these needs.