(217) 546-3333Minimizing Your Discomfort after Oral Surgery
December 24, 2012
Minimizing your Discomfort with Proper Oral Surgery Aftercare
Oral surgery can be necessary to improve or maintain one’s health and prevent future issues. Following oral surgery, special care must be taken to keep surgery sites clean, preclude complications, and minimize discomfort.
The foremost authority on the post-op treatment of oral surgery patients is the dentist or surgeon himself. At the conclusion of the surgery, there will be a set of patient care instructions given by the dentist. Following these instructions will keep you on the path to recovery, decreasing the healing time and time of discomfort. Ensure the instructions are written down and perhaps request that the person accompanying you to and from the surgery remember additional or specific directions and to help you begin your healing proce
ss as you arrive at home.
If prescribed pain medication, it will need to be picked up following oral surgery. Taking the medication as directed will keep p
ain to a minimum. Other post-op patient care should include eating foods that are cool in temperature and smooth in texture, keeping cold compresses handy, and rinsing carefully with warm salt water. The cool, smooth foods will be easy to eat and comforting on a sore mouth. Cold compresses like frozen gel or ice packs, or even bagged frozen vegetables, in addition to elevation of the head, will work well to reduce any throbbing pain and keep swelling down. Rinsing with warm salt water will remove remaining food particles and kill bacteria in the mouth – make sure this is done gently and that the water is not spat, but rather allowed to fall from the mouth.
As with any healing process, there are behaviors to avoid until healing is complete, or until authorized by the dentist as they may cause dry sockets, or other painful infections. Do not vigorously rinse or spit, use a straw, smoke or use chewing tobacco, rinse with mouthwash, or participate in physical activity. If you have had an extraction, do not remove anything for the extraction site.
These instructions are sure to include plenty of rest, so take it easy and if you have any further questions or concerns contact Dr. VanderMolen and the staff at Advanced Dental Care at (217) 546-3333. We care about your comfort. Click here for more information on the services available at Advanced Dental Care of Springfield.
Sedation Dentistry: What to Know Before Your Procedure
September 4, 2012
The Things You Should Know when Undergoing Sedation Dentistry
The practice of dentistry has long been associated with pain, anxiety and fear. For many years, dental practitioners have been working to develop various approaches to improve patient comfort. They have developed local anesthesia that can virtually remove sensation on the area receiving dental treatment. However, needles and injections still stir fear in some patients. So, how do dentists manage this?
Sedation dentistry became the savior for many patients afraid of dental treatments. With the use of sedative drugs, sedation calms the nervous responses of an apprehensive patient without prompting loss of consciousness. Together with sedation, local anesthesia can produce a relaxing experience for the patients. Most patients come to be unaware of the proceedings of the appointment.
If the patient experiences any disease or illness before the appointment, it is best that the dentist is well informed. There can be medical conditions that may contraindicate the use of sedation 
dentistry. It is very essential that a patient disclose important systemic and medical conditions like pregnancy. The same goes with any medication that the patient may be taking in. The dentist should be well aware of any of these factors as they may affect the safety and efficiency of the sedatives.
After the appointment, the patient should not drive, operate any machines or appliances, drink alcoholic beverages, work or make any important decisions. Your sedation dentist will be able to tell you how long the effects will last.
As always, if there are any questions they should be properly directed to the dentist. Your sedation dentist will address any confusion regarding the procedure accordingly.
Sedation dentistry is a comfortable option for many patients. Dr Matt VanderMolen and his staff in Advanced Dental Care of Springfield, IL provide a pain and anxiety-free environment for your comfort. If you are interested in trying sedation dentistry, call us at 217-546-3333.
Sedation Dentistry- Springfield IL – Do I Need Local Anesthesia?
August 21, 2012
Do I Need Local Anesthesia?
One of the greatest anxieties of many when going to a dentist is the anesthetic injection. The fear of needles leads us to question our dentists if we really need them. Many dentists would suggest sedation dentistry that you will not feel a thing but local anesthesia is still included in the treatment plan. Why is this so?
Dentists like Dr. Matt VanderMolen of Advanced Dental Care are committed to providing a comfortable and stress free environment in their 
clinic. They have studied and developed different approaches to succeed in this. One notable practice is through conscious sedation. Sedation dentistry allows you to be worry free during the dental process. Mainly, sedatives depress your central nervous system at a certain degree. However, dental sedation does not automatically cover lack of pain. Thus, your dentist use local anesthesia.
Local anesthesia provides regional loss of sensation. That means that you will sense no pain on the area anesthetized. Anesthetic solutions will surround the nerve endings of your tooth and gums resulting to numbness. There are a few indications for local anesthesia. If a live tooth will undergo surgery like extraction, drilling or deep cleaning, your dentist may give you local anesthetics to ease distress and pain.
Dentists apply topical and injectable anesthetics when required. They first secure the area to anesthetize from moisture and saliva. Topical anesthesia may be swabbed or sprayed. This is a pre-injectable anesthesia procedure.
Then, injectable anesthetics, which may trigger needle phobia, will be loaded. The needle puncture, usually, is not the painful part but the entrance of the anesthetic solution marks sensitivity. In about a few seconds to minutes, the area anesthetized will feel nothing but pressure and your dentist can finish his work without you knowing it. This perception may last for a few hours.
If you are nervous about needles or have other phobias surrounding dental care, sedation dentistry can give you the pain and anxiety-free visit you are looking for. While under sedation, you will not feel the anesthetic being administered.
Dr VanderMolen is concerned about your comfort. Find out if sedation dentistry is right for you by contacting our office at 217-546-3333.
Sedation Dentistry – Springfield IL – How to Choose a Sedation Dentist
August 7, 2012
What To Consider in Finding a Sedation Dentist For You
Many patients in Springfield, Illinois are afraid of going to the dentist. Various reasons may be in play, but thanks to sedation dentistry, patients are gaining strength to face their fears. Sedation dentistry works for patients wanting to feel more at ease while in the dental clinic.
Dental sedation is a technique to relax a patient pharmacologically before a dental procedure. There are different systems of sedation but as a general result, patients are relaxed and comfortable during the entire appointment or procedure.
Not all dentists are capable and equipped to execute sedation for their patients. If you are interested in finding a sedation dentist for you, look for sedation certifications from the American Dental Association (ADA) and other trustworthy dental institutions.
Minimal and moderate sedation methods require training and certification. Dr. Matt VanderMolen completed an 80- hour course at University of California at Los Angeles School of Dentistry under Dr. John Yagiela, an internationally recognized practitioner in pain and anxiety control. The course covers practical sedation on patients aside from lecture hours. Fortunately for Springfield, Illinois patients, Dr. VanderMolen soundly recognizes the necessity to manage anxiety and pain. Moreover, Dr. VanderMolen fulfilled an advanced cardiac life support certification, which is significantly relevant to sedation.
Dr. VanderMolen and his staff at Advanced Dental Care are experienced in Sedation Dentistry. They can find the options that are right for you. Schedule an appointment to discuss your treatments coupled with sedation. Call 217-546-3333 today.
Sedation Dentistry – Springfield IL – What Procedures Can Be Done?
July 17, 2012
What Types Of Procedures Can Be Performed With Sedation Dentistry?
It is important for people to visit their dentists regularly to maintain a good dental health and to resolve any issues such as teeth gaps, existence of cavities and so on. However, it cannot be denied that it is natural for some to exhibit signs of dental phobia. Good thing there is sedation dentistry, a form dentistry that uses anesthesia for an entire treatment process for calming patients down as if they are in a sleep state. Many may be wondering what kinds of procedures can be performed with sedation dentistry.
Sedation dentistry is unique in that it allows the patient to relax enough to have any dental procedure anxiety and pain-free. Sedation dentistry can be used for services from preventative dental visits and cleaninging (in cases of severe phobia) to complex dental procedures such as dental implants or oral surgery. Your sedation dentist will be able to consult with you on your needs and come up with a sedation plan that works for you.
The most common form of sedation is oral sedation, conducted by means of administering oral medications to a patient approximately and hour before the scheduled time of treatment within an appointment. Since oral sedatives don’t really provide any form or pain reliever, a local anesthetic is injected along the intake of certain medications.
Dr. VanderMolen is the Sedation Dentist you can trust in Springfield, Illinois. Contact our office at (217) 546-3333 to schedule a consultation. We will be happy to answer all your questions about Sedation Dentistry or any of our other services.