Sedation Services

Dentistry dedicated to excellence.

FEARS, ANXIETIES AND PHOBIAS

Over 50 million Americans have some type of fear, anxiety or phobia when it comes to visiting the dentist. Some patients are just afraid, while others have had a traumatic experience in the dental chair. For many people avoidance of dental care has resulted in major problems.

Through the use of sedation and anesthesia techniques, we can overcome your past unpleasant experiences and eliminate your fears. We can help you achieve better dental health, improve your smile, and help you keep your teeth.

DENTAL CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM

There are countless care givers in New Jersey who have had difficulty locating a dentist with the ability to treat family members with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other special needs. While our dental office does receive referrals from local professionals, there are numerous families in NJ who search unsuccessfully for a dental practice to treat their loved ones with special needs. Dental care shouldn’t be ignored and whether your child or loved one has autism, or other special needs. Oral hygiene habits should be addressed early and Dr. Lichtenstein and his staff can help.

The usual dental care scenario for those with special needs may involve an uncooperative child. Depending on the level of special needs of the child, and the patience and skill of the dentist, preventive and early restorative care are often lacking. As the child ages, extensive oral decay, cavities, and infection may occur. The parents of children with autism and other special needs often search for an oral surgeon who may have enough anesthesia training and experience to deeply sedate the child, or do a quick general anesthetic to remove the abscessed tooth or teeth. Extremely few restorative dentists have the hospital Operating Room experience Dr. Lichtenstein has. Through sedation dentistry and general anesthesia, we are able to provide comprehensive restorative dental care to patients with special needs.

DENTAL CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

(Asperger’s Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Alzheimer’s, Down Syndrome, & Parkinson’s Disease)

A significant part of our practice involves treating patients with special needs. This includes people who are extremely anxious and phobic, or patients with numbing difficulties, those who have numerous medical background concerns and issues, such as cancer patients, individuals with mental and physical challenges, post cardiac surgery valve replacement patients needing IV antibiotics, stroke patients, seizure disorders and neurologically impaired patients.

We also treat children, adolescents and adults who have Behavior Management concerns such as ADD, ADHD, OCD as well as issues like Bi-polar Disorder. It is often difficult for these patients to sit still in a dentist’s chair, therefore sedation dentistry offers a good solution to enable proper dental treatment.

The patient profile at our Holmdel, NJ dental office is diverse. We see many patients that “regular” dentists just can’t treat properly. Our office serves the overall comprehensive restorative aspects of the patient with autism and other special needs. This entails endodontic (root canal therapy), periodontal, and prosthetic (dentures) needs, as well as basic fillings, diagnostic and preventive dental care services.

Dr. Lichtenstein has extensive surgical training, but prefers to offer treatment plans based on fixing and saving the patient’s dentition, not just removing teeth. There is no need for dental care to go untreated and we can help you have a comfortable and pleasant dental experience.

CANCER PATIENTS & DENTAL CARE NEEDS

Dr. Lichtenstein and his staff understand that cancer patients have different needs when it comes to dental care. Whether you are about to begin cancer treatment, are going through it now, or have finished treatment, your dental health needs special attention and qualified care.

Chemotherapy and radiation can result in “dry mouth”, which can predispose cancer patients to cavities and decay. Your mouth should be as healthy as possible before starting your cancer treatment. There should not be any gingivitis, periodontal diseases (“gum diseases”), and abscessed or infected teeth. Any deep decay should be treated well before beginning your cancer treatment.

PRE CANCER CARE

Before your cancer treatment begins, dental care options from Dr. Lichtenstein include a thorough clinical examination (teeth, roots, gums, bone and a head/neck regional soft tissue exam); appropriate x-rays (to uncover hidden problems, decay, or infection), a discussion on the most beneficial oral hygiene regimen, and a treatment plan to address current or potential problems a cancer patient may face.