That’s why we offer sedation dentistry in order to help particularly anxious patients get the care that they need. Different situations call for different types of sedation dentistry, so we offer a variety of options to meet your needs.
Even if you don’t have a dental phobia, you can still benefit from sedation dentistry in certain cases. Talk to your holistic dentist to see if sedation might be a good option for you.
Types of Sedation Dentistry
Our practice offers different kinds of relaxation techniques and sedations.
- Distraction techniques: These mental strategies can be highly effective in helping patients focus their attention and energy on something other than the dental treatment and is useful in calming patients during exams and cleanings.
- Nitrous oxide: Patients inhale a gaseous substance that relaxes them deeply and almost immediately.
- Oral sedation: Patients take an anti-anxiety pill by mouth to relax them prior to the appointment.
The unique circumstances of your case will determine which sedation method is most appropriate for your treatment. If you have any questions about the type of sedation dentistry that we are recommending, don’t hesitate to ask. We want you to be fully informed about your treatment.
When Sedation Dentistry Benefits Patients
Because sedation dentistry helps patients achieve a state of deep relaxation, this method is primarily associated with benefits for patients who are somewhat jittery about seeing a dentist, which is a fairly common fear.
Indeed, anxious patients do benefit a great deal from sedation, but they’re not the only ones who do. The sedatives also alter your perception of the passage of time, so patients who opt for sedation can tolerate longer treatment sessions.
In addition to relaxing you during the appointment, the methods that use sedative medications also have an amnestic effect, which means that you have no recollection of the appointment after the fact. So, sedation eliminates additional negative memories that reinforce existing dental fear.
We want you to have the most positive experience possible while under our care, and we recognize that sedation dentistry can be an important tool in that effort. If you think you would benefit from this service, be sure to ask your dentist about it.