Sedation Dentistry to Reduce Anxiety
If you've had serious dental procedures performed in the past, it's natural to experience anxiety when you think about visiting the dentist. Even if you've never had anything but good dental experiences, the prospect of undergoing a major procedure might cause you to put off making the appointment you need to make to protect your health and well-being. Whether or not you have dental anxiety, it's important to work with a dentist who truly cares about you, and our experienced team at Olympic Dental has what it takes to put you at ease and make you feel like family.
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
While it’s common to administer a local anesthetic for even the most basic dental procedures, many people don’t understand exactly what sedation dentistry is. For many patients, sedation dentistry can be the solution to dental anxiety, but it’s important to understand the full meaning of this term before you decide whether or not sedation dentistry is right for you.
Simply put, the term “sedation dentistry” can be used to refer to any dental procedure that is done with the assistance of oral sedation. In many cases, the entire mouth is sedated to reduce the sensations associated with dental procedures. Inhalation sedation in the form of nitrous oxide may also be employed, which helps patients dissociate from the procedure and feel relaxed.
Another common aspect of sedation dentistry is the administration of anti-anxiety drugs like diazepam, triazolam, or lorazepam. In most cases, a practice called conscious sedation is used in sedation dentistry that reduces a patient’s anxiety and sense of pain while leaving them conscious. While patients are usually awake during sedation dentistry procedures, they may be unable to speak.
In rare cases, dental patients may be entirely sedated with general anesthesia. Since conscious sedation removes all pain sensations and anxiety, general anesthesia usually isn’t recommended or necessary, but it’s available as an option if other sedation methods aren’t enough to curb a patient’s dental anxiety.
Is Sedation Dentistry Right for Me?
Deciding whether or not you want to try sedation dentistry isn’t easy. While this type of dentistry can be convenient and helpful for some people, it isn’t right for everyone, and you’ll want to consider your options carefully as you determine the right path forward.
If your dental anxiety is making it hard for you to muster up the courage to make a dentist’s appointment and show up at the right time, sedation dentistry might be the right option for you. Being scared of going to the dentist has a way of keeping people from undergoing the dental procedures they need, and this phobia can harm your health if you put off dental procedures for too long.
Knowing that you have the option to take the edge off and remove the pain of your dental procedure can make it easier to take the plunge and schedule the dental procedure that you know is necessary to protect your health and well-being. Even if you aren’t particularly scared of going to the dentist, sedation dentistry might still be the right option in your situation.
If you need to go through a dental procedure that will take a long time, sedation dentistry can reduce the associated pain and make the time pass more quickly. While sitting through hours of dental work can be torture under normal circumstances, sedation dentistry can make you feel relaxed and refreshed at the end of a long procedure.
In addition, some types of dental work are so intensive that sedation is practically required. If you’re replacing a full row of teeth with implants, for instance, it makes a lot more sense to be sedated during the process.
Learn More about How to Prepare for Sedation Dentistry
Get the Compassionate Care You Need at Olympic Dental
If you’re still feeling too scared to go to the dentist, remember that we can accommodate your sedation needs at Olympic Dental. We truly care about all of our patients, and we don’t want them to go through any unnecessary hardship as they work with us to achieve the smiles they deserve. To learn more about our sedation dentistry practices and schedule an appointment, call Olympic Dental at (281) 240-2545 today!
