Reviewed by Dr. Adel Elbaz, DDS, general dentist · Last reviewed
Virtual Reality for Anxious Patients in London, Ontario
Much of dental anxiety comes from what you notice in the chair: the sounds, the bright light, the ceiling you stare at, and waiting for the next step. Virtual reality (VR) gives your mind something else to focus on.
At Lunar Smile Dentistry we offer DREAM DENTAL, a virtual reality therapy created by Paperplane Therapeutics. You wear a lightweight headset during treatment and explore calm, interactive virtual worlds while we work.
How it works
The headset fills your view with a peaceful, moving scene, and headphones add calming sound that helps cover the noise of dental instruments. Because your attention is busy with the virtual world, there’s less room for worry.
DREAM DENTAL was first developed to help children through needle procedures such as COVID-19 vaccinations in hospitals, and has since been adapted for dental offices.
Who it helps
- Nervous adults who’d rather not think about what’s happening
- Children, for whom an interactive world can turn a visit into something to look forward to
- Patients sensitive to sounds, such as the drill or suction
- Long appointments, which can pass more quickly
- People who want to avoid sedation or need to drive afterwards
Benefits
- Distraction from sights and sounds that trigger anxiety
- Less focus on discomfort, which can make treatment feel easier
- No drugs and no recovery time: take the headset off and carry on with your day
- Works with other options, such as nitrous oxide or gentle computer-controlled freezing
- Helps children cooperate, so treatment can often be finished in fewer visits
VR doesn’t numb anything. For treatment that would hurt, we still use local freezing. VR helps with how you feel, not with pain itself.
What to expect
- Tell us when you book that you’d like to try VR, so we can have it ready.
- We fit the headset before treatment starts and make sure it’s comfortable. It sits on your face and doesn’t get in the way of your mouth.
- You choose an experience and settle in. Most people adjust within a minute or two.
- You stay in control. Raise your hand any time to stop, take a break or take the headset off.
- We clean the headset thoroughly between every patient.
Who might not be suited to VR?
VR isn’t right for everyone. It may not suit you if you get motion sickness easily, have a history of seizures, or have certain eye conditions. Some treatments also need us to see your whole face, in which case we may use VR only for part of the visit. We’ll talk it through with you.
More ways we help anxious patients
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) for light, quick-acting relaxation
- Single Tooth Anesthesia (STA) for a gentler injection
- Oral sedation and general anesthesia for deeper anxiety or longer treatment
- Longer appointment times, and a team that explains each step before doing it
Read more about dental anxiety and how we help.
Cost
Ask us about VR when you book. We always tell you the cost of your visit before treatment begins.
Book a visit
If dental visits make you anxious, we’d like to help. Book online or call 226-884-2573 and ask to try DREAM DENTAL. We’re open six days a week, with evening appointments until 9 pm on weekdays.