Best Dentists in St. Louis. Really a great dental experience. I have used this office for regular dental care, cavities, crowns, and cosmetic dentistry. Teeth look great.
Response from the owner:Christopher we apologize for the belated response. We are very pleased to hear you have a great dental experience with our office! Thank you for your kind words. We look forward to seeing you at your next dental appointment!
Dr. Behl!
I cannot recommend Dr. Maris Behl enough. If you have dental anxiety, she is truly the kind of dentist you hope to find. If teeth could be wrapped in pillows and protected by flying unicorns, Dr. Behl would somehow make it happen.
I have significant anxiety around dental procedures and have needed deeper sedation for dental work in the past. From the beginning, Dr. Behl took the time to listen to my concerns and made me feel genuinely heard rather than dismissed or rushed. She created such a sense of trust and safety that I was eventually able to have my dental work done with only nitrous instead of full sedation, which is something I honestly didn’t think I would be comfortable doing.
During my crown placement, she explained what she was doing throughout the procedure, which made an enormous difference in keeping me calm. She also took the time to address a filling that had been bothering me for what felt like forever — and she actually fixed the problem.
What stands out most about Dr. Behl is how safe I feel in her care. She is compassionate, patient, communicative, and incredibly attentive to how her patients are feeling. For someone with dental anxiety, that combination is invaluable.
Finding a dentist I trust this much has completely changed my experience with dental care. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Behl and would recommend her without hesitation, especially to anyone who has dental anxiety or has struggled to feel comfortable receiving dental treatment.
Response from the owner:Thank you for such incredibly kind words! We’ll be sure to pass this along to Dr. Behl. We’re pretty sure the flying unicorns are going to be the part she remembers most! 🦄💙 We’re so glad our team could help make your experience a more comfortable one.
Dr Thoms and his team are phenomenal. No question, the absolute best possible option for my child when he needed work done while sleeping (age based). While this option is not inexpensive, this set up of have anesthesiology in-house allowed us to get his mouth healthy when a traditional pediatric dentist could/would not. I am a parent that asks a lot of questions on behalf of my toddler’s care and at no point did I feel judged for this, nor was I rushed during my evaluation process during the consultation. Although the procedure is not one I would like to repeat for my child, my husband and I were both so pleased with how well Dr. Thoms communicated and how he clearly cared for our son’s wellbeing (both physical and emotional during a less than comfortable visit). Cannot recommend the back of house team more highly.
My one detraction is the FOH staff (not everyone) were not nearly as pleasant. I would like to communicate that while their day-to-day is very routine for them, being in that office as a parent is very scary for some people in their office and a little bit of kindness goes along way. I do recall, having a very pleasant conversation with Rebecca, but otherwise everyone else was on the apathetic side, in my personal opinion. That said you’ll notice that I still am leaving a five star review because the dental staff really just knocked out of the park, but as a parent I want to encourage you to look past any rudeness you may experience over email or on the phone because Dr. Thom’s is really that excellent.
Response from the owner:Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback. We’re grateful to hear that our team provided compassionate, attentive care and took the time to answer your questions throughout the process. We also appreciate your comments regarding your experience with our front office team and will certainly share your feedback. Your kind words mean so much to us!
Wisdom teeth are troublemakers for many people, as they can become painfully jammed between bone and the other teeth. They are often crooked and grow in a jaw that has become too small for them.
Removing wisdom teeth isn’t recommended in all cases, but if you do have decay or if they grow in the wrong direction, extraction might be the best option. If you are afraid about the procedure, then dental sedation might ease your anxiety. Talk with our St. Louis sedation dentists about it and see what the best course of treatment is for your case.
What to Expect from Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry includes all dental procedures that are done after the patient has been administered medication that numbs, calms and relaxes them. There are many types of substances that can be used and the concentration will be set by the anesthesia team in the least invasive way possible. In other words, you will be given the least amount of anesthetic needed for the procedure.
Because wisdom teeth removal is a more complicated extraction than other tooth removals, and because you may have two or even all wisdom teeth removed at once, sedation dentistry is a really good option for this procedure. You can be sedated mildly or even be under general anesthesia. It all depends on what your doctor recommends.
Sedation Options
Depending on how complex your extraction will be, your level of anxiety regarding the procedure and your medical record, your St. Louis sedation dentist can give you one or more options.
Local Anesthetic
If your wisdom teeth aren’t that hidden, you may get away only with some local anesthetic, which is normal anyway when you are getting a tooth extracted.
Conscious Sedation
During this type of sedation, you are conscious and can communicate with the doctor and the sedation team, giving them feedback about how you feel.
Laughing Gas
A slightly “old-school” method is the laughing gas (nitrous oxide), which has a very quick effect and wears off just as rapidly, making you relaxed and even cheerful – hence, the nickname. Ask if it is the only substance used to sedate you to make sure you can drive yourself right after the procedure. If there are others, you may need to be assisted.
IV Sedation
During IV sedation you will still be conscious, but groggy and even close to falling asleep. It will not let you remember much during the appointment, so it is a great solution for lengthy procedures such as multiple wisdom teeth removals.
General Anesthesia
In some cases, general anesthesia is required to perform the procedure safely. You will be administered medication that will get you to sleep. When you wake up, you won’t remember anything about the procedure.
St. Louis Wisdom Teeth Removal Dentist
If you are getting ready to have your wisdom tooth removed, talk about all the options with your doctor and ask them which one would be the best for you and why. Choose the one you are most comfortable with, but take the doctor’s advice into account.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today at (314) 862-7844
