We want all our patients to feel relaxed throughout their dental visit. This can usually be achieved with gentle reassurance and a calm, supportive dental team. For some, however, going to the dentist can be a real challenge. For our patients that face a real fear of dental treatment or are undergoing lengthy procedures, our practice offers a variety of relaxation methods. Distraction techniques, Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas), or medications prescribed to induce relaxation and a sense of well-being are some of the choices our patients are provided today.
Sedation Dentist Dallas
FAQ’s
What is oral sedation like?
Oral sedation involves taking an anti-anxiety medication in pill form before your appointment. Doing so helps patients achieve a deeply relaxed state before they get to our office and helps them overcome any fears that may present barriers to getting necessary dental treatments. If you choose oral sedation, you will need to take the medication far enough in advance of your appointment to give it time to take effect. Because you will be under the medication’s influence before coming to our office, you will need to make arrangements for a responsible adult to bring you to the appointment and escort you home afterward.
What kind of sedation do dentists use?
Dentists may use any number of sedatives or non-medicinal techniques to help patients relax during their treatments. Our office may employ distraction techniques for more simple treatments. Other patients may need pharmaceutical interventions, such as nitrous oxide or oral sedation. Nitrous oxide is a particularly popular choice, as it is administered in our office and both take effect and wears off quickly. Your dentist will discuss all of the options with you so that you can choose the method that is most comfortable for you.
How does sedation work for dental work?
Sedation helps fearful patients relax deeply while they are under a dentist’s care. Sedation can be appropriate in cases other than dental phobias as well. Because sedation alters a patient’s sense of the passage of time, it can also be useful for patients who are facing complex treatments that require them to spend a significant amount of time in the dentist’s chair. Similarly, sedation might help to calm a strong gag reflex that could otherwise interfere with dental treatment.
What is conscious sedation?
Conscious sedation allows patients to remain awake although they have the sensation that they are asleep while under sedation. Because patients remain conscious, they can respond to commands from the dentist and their airways remain functional and do not require artificial support.