Your Calgary Invisalign Provider
How We Help Promote Relaxation
From time to time, we encounter a patient who experiences fear or anxiety about their dental treatments. For those patients, a calm, relaxing environment is not always enough.
As a result, we offer a variety of relaxation treatments prior to an appointment, such as acupuncture and acupressure, hypnosis, BodyTalk, and other pharmaceutical-free solutions.
The Benefits of Acupuncture
Acupuncture is based on the belief that your health is predicted by a balance of "chi", or life energy, that flows throughout your body.
Acupuncture can be used on various points of the body, such as the hands and ears, to ease anxiety before and during dental treatment. Many techniques can be “needle free”, using magnets and “seeds”.
- Tranquilizing: Lower inside of ear, just above where the lobe attaches to the side of the face
- Relaxation: Top inside of ear
- Top of your head
- On your wrists
- Master Cerebral/anti-anxiety: Lower inside of ear near the lower part of the lobe
The Benefits of Acupressure
Acupressure is closely related to acupuncture. However, unlike acupuncture, which often uses needles and can only be done by a trained practitioner, acupressure uses the application of gentle finger pressure to specific points on the skin.
When you’re tense or upset, your body releases “stress chemicals,” such as adrenaline. These chemicals cause a variety of physical responses. Your muscles tighten, you breathe faster, and the pain receptors in your brain become more sensitive.
These reactions themselves can make you feel less relaxed.
There are many types of relaxation techniques. Some of the most effective include:
Guided Imagery
This is a simple mental technique. A health care professional helps you imagine having a pleasant experience, or being in a soothing place. The idea is to create as much mental detail as you possibly can. You may become so involved in the mental images that you hardly notice what the dentist is doing.
Deep Breathing
This technique involves breathing slowly and deeply. It’s also called diaphragmatic breathing. Deep breathing floods the body with oxygen and other chemicals that relax the central nervous system and help reduce discomfort.
Progressive Relaxation
With this technique, you consciously try to relax each muscle in the body. You start with the toes and move all the way up to the head (or vice versa). Progressive relaxation reduces muscular tension, which can help to reduce pain.
