Hello Mansfield, TX! Welcome back to our dental health blog. At Sanders Family Dental we try and keep our patients informed, because a more informed patient is a happier patient. For that reason, we’re going to take today’s blog to give you a brief overview of Sedation Dentistry.
Sedation Dentistry is extremely important tool in combating dental anxiety. Millions of Americans avoid visiting the dentist office because of fear or anxiety. This avoidance of the dental office will only make oral health problems worse. Procrastination can turn a simple cavity into a more complicated procedure like a root canal, or eventually require the removal of the tooth.
But Sedation Dentistry helps you feel relaxed in the dental office. There are several types of Dental Sedation available; Nitrous Oxide Sedation, Oral Sedation, and IV Sedation.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Nitrous Oxide Sedation is a safe and healthy option for patients with mild dental anxiety. With Nitrous Oxide Sedation involves gently placing a small mask over your face, through which you breathe in a healthy and safe mixture of oxygen and Nitrous Oxide.
You may know Nitrous Oxide by it’s more common name of ‘laughing gas’. It is one of the most common forms of Sedation Dentistry and is used around the world to improve dental procedures. Nitrous Oxide has been cited by the World Health Organization as one of the most important medical tools in the world.
With Nitrous Oxide Sedation, you will feel lightly sedated. You may even giggle a bit, which is how Nitrous Oxide Sedation became known as ‘laughing gas.’ It feels almost like a happy drunk. The effect is completely temporary and wears off almost immediately after your procedure. This allows you to safely drive home after your procedure.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation can even be helpful if don’t have any dental anxiety or fears. This is because it helps us complete more procedures at once.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral Conscious Sedation, also known as Oral Sedation, is a stronger form of Sedation Dentistry. Oral Conscious Sedation is another great choice for patients with mild to moderate dental anxiety and fears.
With Oral Conscious Sedation, our top-notch team will evaluate your health and needs. Your doctor will then prescribe you a safe, sedative medication to take before your procedure. You simply take the pill before your procedure and then sit back and relax.
Depending on which mediation is used, you may experience a phenomenon known as ‘lost time.’ This simply means that you may not remember all of your procedure. You may even feel as if you are asleep during your procedure.
However, you don’t lose consciousness from Oral Sedation. You are able to respond to instructions from your doctor, and we can easily wake you if do fall asleep. Oral Sedation may take longer to wear off, so you will likely need someone to drive you home after your procedure.
IV Sedation
IV Sedation is stronger than Oral Conscious Sedation and Nitrous Oxide Sedation. It is an excellent choice for patients with more intense dental fears and anxieties or for more involved procedure. With IV Sedation we are generally able to complete more than one procedure at time if needed.
IV Sedation is administered intravenously prior to your procedure. With IV Sedation, you will not technically be asleep. However, you will likely not remember any of the procedure. IV Sedation is safe, and we continuously monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and health during your procedure.
Make An Appointment
Are you ready to take fear away from the dentist office? Whether you have more questions about Sedation Dentistry or ready to make an appointment, we encourage you to contact us. Click here to make an appointment at Sanders Family Dental in Mansfield, TX.