Many people are concerned about discomfort during dental treatment, or anxious about having dental care. The doctor’s compassion, experience, skill and advanced training in anxiety and pain control assures your comfort during all phases of therapy.

We Treat No Tooth Before It’s Numb ! ^SM

Special medications are available to help anxious patients relax before or during treatment.  When it is helpful, the doctor also prescribes medicine to assure a good night's sleep before dental visits.

Expertly administered, gentle local anesthesia always makes treatment pain-free.  Using his advanced training in anesthesia and pain control, Dr. Fox has been successful in providing complete, profound anesthesia even for those who have previously had difficulty getting numbed in the dental office.  We treat no tooth before it is numb! Most people find the process of having local anesthesia to be completely comfortable.

If there is any risk of post-operative discomfort, soothing medicine will be prescribed to control it.

Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation ("Gas")

Dr. Fox holds a special license from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to administer nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia (also called "sweet air," "laughing gas," or just "gas").  This soothing gas calms people who tend to be anxious during dental care, enabling them to undergo therapy without emotional distress.  While under the effects of the gas, the patient remains awake and in control at all times - but is very relaxed.  Remarkably, within minutes after inhalation sedation is stopped the effects of the gas are gone.  Patients can drive home.

Intravenous Conscious-Sedation

Dr. Fox also holds a special license to administer intravenous conscious-sedation in Pennsylvania.  To assure patient safety, our office is equipped with medications and equipment to handle any medical complications that may occur.  Dr. Fox is certified in advanced cardiac life support, and our entire staff is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the American Heart Association.  Our office has been inspected and licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to safely administer all forms of conscious sedation, by any route of administration - including intravenous sedation.  Patient comfort and safety are very important to us in all aspects of professional care.

Your Physical comfort

While our padded dental chairs are designed for patient comfort (they are the best available), no dental chair is perfect for everyone.  We have special pads and pillows to provide additional support or cushioning where you need it.

These include the latest innovation in body support - cleansable cushions made from special visco-elastic foam that conform to the individual contours of each person lying on them.  A new full sized body cushion of this material is also available to our patients.

When people have longer procedures, take special medications, or are anxious they may feel chilly - to avoid this we can provide you with a blanket. (Of course our blankets are disinfected and laundered after each use).

Avoiding the numb feeling

There are rare individuals who do not experience pain from dental treatment without anesthesia, or do not mind minor discomfort.  (That's what makes the world go 'round). These people sometimes request minor procedures be done without local anesthetic.  We are glad to meet their special needs (of course, the anesthesia is there if they change their mind) as long as their health and safety are not jeopardized.

For the rest of us, a variety of different local anesthetic medications are available to minimize the time patients are numb after treatment is completed.

Preventing discomfort after treatment

Many patients are needlessly concerned about discomfort after leaving the dental office, particularly if they have more extensive or sophisticated procedures.  We minimize post-surgical discomfort with gentle surgical techniques, and (when necessary) prescription medications to prevent pain or even swelling after dental care.

Most of our patients find that they do not need these medications but for those that do, use of medication with doctor supervision makes an incredible difference in their comfort after treatment.

Effective pain control in dental patients is more than just choosing the right drug for the patient's needs. An understanding how the medication works, potential interactions with other prescription medications the patient is using, and avoiding unwanted side effects is important, too.

Drawing on years of experience and continual study of new research results, Dr. Fox carefully prescribes medications with a proven track record for each patient's individual needs and condition to keep people comfortable during, and after dental care.  

Your special needs

Everyone in our office wants you to be comfortable and relaxed while we care for you. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to enhance your comfort, no matter how trivial it may seem.