“I need to find a dentist who can handle my gagging problem.”
Gagging during dental treatment is a serious and very real problem. The ADA reports that 7.5% of patients almost-always gag when they visit a dentist. Some people avoid dental treatment because of gagging fears. Read Pi Dental Center’s blog that discusses how digital dentistry can be helpful for patients with a strong gag reflex.
The Gag Reflex
The gag reflex is based on an innate biological mechanism. The Life Science website defines the gag reflex, which is also known as the pharyngeal reflex or laryngeal spasm, as a contraction of the back of the throat. It is triggered by an object touching the roof of the mouth, the back of the tongue, the area around your tonsils, or the back of your throat. Ten to fifteen percent of people have a hypersensitive gag reflex.
Dr. Joseph Massad discussed the gag reflex in Dental Economics. The gag reflex is generally thought to be controlled by the hypothalamus of the brain.
Digital Dentistry
Pi Dental Center provides digital dentistry with our TRIOS® digital scanner. The TRIOS® scanner is used for crowns, bridges and single tooth implant restorations. One of the most important benefits of the TRIOS® intraoral scanner is improving the patient’s dental experience. A traditional dental impression can sometimes be unpleasant for patients who gag. Digital impressions are often more comfortable for the patient. Digital impressions are faster and the scans are more accurate, efficient, faster and more precise. “Patients continuously rave about the ease and comfort of our new digital impressions, says Dr. Glenn Wolfinger”.
Immediately Visible Results
Both the doctor and patient can see the results on a large screen immediately.
Pat Martin, EFDA and Director of Patient Relations states, “This technology allows the doctor to capture a digital image eliminating the need to take multiple impressions to have lab work fabricated. Patients like this convenient method of impression-taking because it is cleaner and less likely to produce a gag reflex. It elevates the doctor’s level of expertise in the eyes of their patient because the tooth image can be viewed on the screen immediately.”
Take Control
Don’t allow a gag reflex to control your dental health! Please let us know if you have an active gag reflex and any fears that you have. Ask us about options to find relief for strong gag reflex. This will help us to improve your experience.
Consider having your next crown at Pi Dental Center with TRIOS®. Call us to discuss your treatment needs and let us know about your past office experiences and any concerns you have. Providing optimal dental care in a relaxed environment is the goal of everyone at Pi Dental Center. Our supportive team is skilled at providing a pleasant office visit and able to tailor treatment for each patient.
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