Experience Gentle, Relaxing Dental Care
Feeling some anxiety when it is time for your visit to the dentist is normal. Sedation dentistry is used for patients who have intense fear or anxiety about seeing a dentist. Avalon Dental Group offers different levels of sedation to patients who can benefit from its use.
Most people have feelings of apprehension when they step into a dental office. When these feelings are very intense and prevent you from seeking dental care, you put yourself at risk for serious dental problems. Some individuals who avoid the dentist due to acute anxiety find themselves in the emergency room or the dental chair with severe tooth pain, which could have been avoided. Sedation helps patients feel calm and relaxed, even when they have high levels of anxiety.
There are a variety of reasons why an individual may have unusual, heightened apprehension about dental treatment. Most often, it is the result of a negative encounter with a dentist in childhood or at some point in life. The team at Avalon Dental Group is dedicated to ensuring each patient has the most relaxing and pleasant experience possible. Sedation helps achieve this goal for some of our patients.
Nitrous oxide is used to induce mild sedation. If you experience higher levels of anxiety, moderate sedation may be recommended. This type of sedation is delivered orally and requires that you have someone to drive you home after your treatment.
Nitrous Oxide
Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, has been used for over two hundred years to help patients relax. This type of sedation is delivered as a gas mixed with oxygen. During your dental procedure, you breathe in the mixture of gas, which produces a pleasant, relaxed sensation. After the procedure is completed, your system is flushed with oxygen. Mild sedation with nitrous oxide does not have lingering side effects once your system is cleared of the gas. You can resume normal activities right away.
Oral Conscious Sedation
When moderate sedation is necessary, oral conscious sedation is recommended. Stronger than laughing gas, this type of sedation is administered with a pill that is taken about an hour before the dental procedure. Oral conscious sedation does not put you to sleep, although you may feel groggy. Some patients do fall asleep due to the relaxed feeling that is induced by the sedative.
While you are under sedation, you will still be aware of what is happening, but you will feel very relaxed and calm. Patients receiving oral sedation are given time in the office to recover. Full recovery from this type of sedation can take some time, therefore it is recommended that you make sure you have someone else provide transportation after your appointment.
A full medical history needs to be provided for patients requesting sedation. Be sure to give your dentist a full list of all the medications and supplements you are currently taking. Mention any medical conditions you may have. Your dentist will speak with you about your options for sedation. You will also be told what to expect during and after sedation.
Oral health is a critical component of general health and well-being. Do not let anxiety or fear keep you from getting the dental care you need. Contact Avalon Dental Group, and schedule an appointment with us and request sedation if you need help to relax.