The success of a dental treatment is not all based on what happens at the clinic. In order to have a successful treatment, you will need to organise a bit, and there are a few things to keep in mind before and after the treatment.
Picking the right dentist, booking an appointment
It’s very important to pick a good dentist, one whom you trust, who seems nice and makes you feel safe. Choosing a dentist that speaks your language is perhaps the most important aspect, as hearing our mother tongue during dental treatment calms and soothes us, and asking questions will be easier, too. If you arrive to the appointment calm and collected, and feel at home with your dentist, then your treatment will be easier and more comfortable. It is also very important to book your appointment ahead of time, because that will save you a lot of time, as without an appointment, you will need to spend potentially hours in the waiting room, in pain. You can book appointments via email, on the phone or through a website as well.
Local or general anaesthetic
It is very important to know if you will have local or general anaesthetic, as general anaesthetic means you will go under and be asleep during the duration of the treatment (this is only used extremely rarely). Many people fear the anaesthetic injection, but there is no need to be afraid, as it is a mostly painless and routine procedure. There are a few things to keep in mind with local anaesthetic. Eat lightly the day of the treatment, and eat nothing for 6 hours before the procedure. Do not drink alcohol or smoke on that day, and if you are going under, this is doubly true, as alcohol and even nicotine can interact with the anaesthetic. If you are going to be going under, you should not drink any fluids for 3 hours before the treatment. You should arrive wearing comfortable clothes, and expect to be out of commission for the rest of the day.
Parking and getting home
Make sure you find parking space and plan a route there and home before the procedure. This way, the procedure will go swimmingly, and there will be no tardiness because of your arrival.
If you have undergone general anaesthetic, you must wait at least 30 minutes after waking up to sober up a bit, and for the anaesthesiologist to get a chance to see that everything is okay. Make sure someone will be there to help you drive home, because you are not allowed to drive the day of the treatment.
