Do you avoid visiting the dentist out of fear or nervousness? Or perhaps you’ve had a negative dental experience and it left you hesitant to try a new dentist out of fear of the unexpected. Both of these scenarios are among the reasons a patient might be a great candidate for sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry is the process of using medications in various ways to calm a patient before and during a dental procedure.
Is Sedation Dentistry Right For You?
Sedation dentistry may be recommended for a variety of reasons. Many patients are recommended who deal with uncomfortable and anxious feelings about the dentist. However, there may be additional reasons to use sedation, such as:
- Long procedures – it may be difficult to sit through a lengthy or complicated procedure, and a form of sedation may assist with your comfort over an extended period of time. It also helps the dentist perform the treatment more efficiently if you are comfortable and not moving during treatment.
- Complicated procedures – if multiple invasive or surgical procedures need to be completed, sedation can create a sense of calm.
- Hypersensitive gag reflex – if your sensitive gag reflex makes it difficult to have dental treatments, sedation can relax you enough to complete anything that needs to be done.
Sedation dentistry can also help with:
- Phobia related to dental procedures
- Bad experiences with dental work in the past
- Particularly sensitive oral nerves
- Sensitivity to the smells, sights, and sounds of the dentist office
If you feel that you would be a candidate for sedation dentistry, our office offers two options to use during treatment:
- Nitrous Oxide, which is an inhaled gas breathed through a mask that leaves the patient feeling relaxed during the appointment
- Oral Sedation, also known as conscious sedation, involves a pill being taken by the patient prior to the appointment. It allows the patient to achieve total relaxation while remaining awake during the procedure.
Either of these options can be very helpful if you suffer from any of the situations listed above. Please let us know if you would like to consider one of these sedation techniques at your next visit to our Montgomery office, and we’ll be happy to discuss your options with you.
