DENTAL ANXIETY
DENTAL EDUCATION
Dental Anxiety
When you visit our dental office, we can discuss ways that you can prevent experiencing anxiety while receiving dental care.
Sedation Dentistry Can Reduce Your Dental Anxiety
In our dental office, we practice sedation dentistry that can be used to reduce and prevent dental anxiety. Here are some of the questions we are regularly asked about sedation.
Will I be asleep when sedated?
Typically not. Sleep dentistry is usually reserved for oral surgery and lengthy procedures. Sedation dentistry will help you relax and can make you drowsy, so some patients do nod off, but you are technically not put to sleep.
Can everyone use sedation dentistry?
To determine if you are healthy enough for sedation (most people are) we recommend that you schedule an appointment with our dental office. We will meet with you to discuss the type of sedation that would be best suited for your procedure and the level of dental anxiety that you are experiencing.
How is sedation dentistry administered?
The most common form of sedation is taking a pill an hour before the procedure begins. One pill can help you to feel entirely relaxed so that your fear of dentists is eliminated. Most procedures like teeth cleaning or fixing a simple cavity do not necessarily hurt so with sedation many people do not require additional medication. However, if you would like pain medication as well, we can give it to you after the sedation has taken effect.
Will I be able to move around like normal?
Yes, with sedation dentistry you can continue to engage in conversation and respond to commands but your response times may be slightly delayed and your mind not as clear as normal. This is why we recommend that you either have someone drive you home or wait until it has worn off completely before driving.
Are there any side effects of sedation dentistry?
Most of the time the sedation goes away within an hour of your procedure being complete. If you are more heavily sedated or put to sleep for oral surgery, it can take a couple of hours to feel normal but this is rare. In our dental office, we use the least amount of sedation to help you to feel completely relaxed and comfortable so that it is effective without staying in your system for too long.
Can children benefit from sedation dentistry?
Yes, typically children need sedation when having a lot of dental work completed so that they can hold still long enough for the work to be performed. This is a unique specialty and not offered at every dentist's office.
Are there other ways to make dental work more comfortable?
Yes, laser dentistry is transforming how dental procedures are being completed. When you visit our dental office, you can be confident that we will use the latest technology available to make your procedure more comfortable. Lasers allow us to do so because the laser energy is fine and can target small spaces without irritating the surrounding tissue. This reduces discomfort and the recovery time. Lasers are also less invasive than traditional dental tools which means that there is less bleeding and swelling than there would be otherwise. They can be used in treating tooth decay, gum disease, and in restorative procedures.
