Dental Massage Therapy

Scared of the dentist? Nursing an intense dental phobia? Well, worry no more. Dr. Jimmy Wu, DDS, is a San Diego native with a bachelor’s degree in biology as well as extensive background in cosmetics, orthodontics, TMJ, computerized dentistry, and CEREC ceramic fillings. Here he talks about how massage therapy can help patients feel more relaxed, less stressed and ready to face their dental treatments with a smile, which is why he has a massage therapist always at the ready at Sutra Dental Spa in La Mesa, California.

We actually have a massage therapist on site at Sutra Dental Spa. We have a special room where the massage therapist can do back massages, neck massages, hand and feet massages and head massages. It is especially used for patients who are nervous and stressed, for those highly stressed people who perhaps have had a bad dental experience in the past.

We also incorporate massage therapists in the treatment room while we are doing treatments. What the massage therapist will do is massage the hands and feet of the patient while he’s in the dentist’s chair. In between and during the breaks, he will also massage the patient’s neck to make him feel as relaxed and comfortable as possible.

Massage Brings Good Results

We have found that we have a lot calmer patients when they have massages. Patients who are a lot less fearful overall are also more trusting of the treatment being rendered.

Regular massages also allow the normal use of anesthesia to be much more effective. Traditionally, scared patients go to the dentist, get a local anesthetic or nitrous oxide on top of that, but still feel pain throughout their appointment. We find there is a psychological factor involved in that as well. If a patient is coming in and is extremely stressed and not trusting the treatment, often he will be just waiting for pain to develop. That means he will unconsciously minimize the effect of the local anesthetic, and even of the nitrous oxide. So the massage techniques we use makes them in less pain.

No Charge

We no not charge extra for the massage therapy. We find it is beneficial not only to the patient but also to help me effectively treat patients. We do not have higher fees because of this as our fees are within the national average standard.

When you have trusting, relaxed patients and the appointments go well, it speeds treatment and recovery time. That’s because sometimes when treatment is long or difficult, we found that fearful patients were not becoming suitably numb. So our efficiency rate goes up as our patients are more relaxed. At Sutra, we all work together to relax your mind and your body.

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.