Do you get nervous at just the thought of going to the dental office? This is much more common than you may think. In fact, over 30 million Americans experience stress related to the dental office. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you need to avoid dental care forever. There are various options to help even the most anxious patients get the care they need without the added stress. Here are the different sedation methods available.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
More commonly known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide sedation uses a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen to help the patient feel more relaxed. This method is safe and effective, and it can even be used to help children feel at ease during dental procedures. If you choose nitrous oxide sedation, your dental team will provide you with a mask to wear during your treatment. You will inhale the gas through the mask. It doesn’t have any taste or odor, and you will remain conscious throughout your visit. The best part of this method is that the effects wear off quickly. You can even drive home!
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral conscious sedation helps to relieve anxiety in the form of pills. If you choose this method, your dentist will prescribe you a small pill to take approximately an hour before your procedure. By the time your appointment begins, you will feel perfectly relaxed. Just like with nitrous oxide sedation, you will remain conscious throughout the duration of your procedure, so you will still be able to answer questions and follow the instructions of your dental team. The effects of oral conscious sedation can linger for several hours, so you will need to arrange for a trusted friend or family member to drive you home.
IV Sedation
If you have severe dental phobia, IV sedation may be the ideal method for you! The sedative is delivered intravenously, so the effects can be felt almost immediately. Your dental team will control the amount of sedative being administered and be monitoring your vitals to ensure that you are perfectly safe and relaxed. Just like with oral conscious sedation, you will remain awake throughout the procedure, but you likely won’t remember much of your treatment afterward. It can take many hours for IV sedation to completely wear off, so you should arrange for a trusted friend to drive you to and from your procedure.
If you are afraid of the dentist, sedation dentistry could be exactly what you need! Give your dentist a call to discuss available methods. You may just find the right option for you.
About the Practice
At Goodman Dental, Dr. Caleb Goodman and Dr. Joshua Hong work together to treat patients in the Goodyear community. They offer nitrous oxide sedation, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation to help even the most anxious patients get the care they need. To learn more about sedation dentistry or to schedule an appointment, visit their website or call (623) 925-8822.