Do you avoid dental visits because of fear or anxiety? Dental sedation, sometimes called sleep dentistry, is a technique dentists use to help patients relax. Sedation helps patients remain calm during all dental procedures. Several types of sedation methods make patients feel more comfortable during treatments. We offer sedation dentistry in Allen, TX, during your dentist appointments at Allen Dental Center.
Patients who suffer from fear of the dentist or dental anxiety will benefit from using sedation methods. In many cases, sedation helps patients get the care they need. However, many other benefits to sedation dentistry exist.
Who is Sedation Dentistry For?
Sedation dentistry benefits those who suffer from dental anxiety. However, patients choose to use it for other reasons as well. Our patients use sedation dentistry in Allen, TX, for many reasons. Sedation is appropriate for patients with:
- Dental fear or anxiety
- A low pain threshold
- A strong gag reflex
- Difficulty sitting still for extended periods of time
- The need for lengthy or complicated dental procedures
If you have dental phobia, we’re here to help. We can accomodate you at your next visit. In addition to sedation, we may recommend bringing noise-canceling headphones.
You can also hold a stress ball to distract you during your visit. Sometimes, if you are a new patient, seeing our office before your visit can help calm your fears. You may tour our office before your appointment to familiarize yourself with our team.
What are the Levels of Sedation?
Dentists use multiple levels of sedation based on the length and amount of dental work you need. The levels of sedation include:
- Minimal: Under minimal sedation, you can respond to instructions from your dentist. While you may feel sensation, you do not feel pain.
- Moderate: Under moderate sedation, you can still respond to stimulation. However, you may forget parts of the treatment. You are more relaxed but still awake.
- Deep: Under deep sedation, you remain awake but may feel that you fell asleep. Still, you are not aware of your treatment and will not respond to our dentist and their instructions.
General anesthesia is the deepest level of sedation. We do not require this deepest level for our dental treatments.
Types of Sedation Dentistry
Allen Dental Center offers two types of dental sedation methods. Before your dentist appointment, discuss your concerns with our dentist. Then, our dentist can review your medical history to determine if you qualify for any sedation methods. Our dentist will choose between one of the two following types of sedation dentistry.
Oral Conscious Sedation Dentistry
Oral conscious sedation is an effective way to help patients relax during dental procedures. You will take a sedative before your appointment. The medications we use can provide a range of mild to moderate sedation.
You will still be conscious and able to move and speak. However, you will be in a deep state of relaxation and will feel drowsy. Most people have little to no memory after their dental procedure. With this type of dental sedation, you will need a ride to and from your dentist appointment. It takes several hours to take effect.
Nitrous Oxide
Also known as laughing gas, this is a type of dental sedation in which you breathe in gas through a mask on your nose. This mild sedative helps you relax and feel more comfortable during dental treatment. You will remain awake and responsive throughout the whole appointment so that you can respond to any instructions.
The benefit of using nitrous oxide is the rapid onset of the effects. Also, once the mask is removed, the effects stop right away. Laughing gas has been used for many years in the dental field to help adults and children receive the dental treatments they need to remain healthy.
What is Sleep Dentistry Like for the Patient?
Each patient’s sedation dentistry experience will vary. It will depend on the type of sedation they choose to use and their response to the medication.
Almost all patients will generally feel relaxed and calm during the procedure. Some feel drowsy to the point they falls asleep. However it is not medication that is making them fall asleep.
During the treatment, our dental staff will monitor your vital signs to make sure you are safe at all times. We will be able to communicate with you and ask you questions to make sure you are okay.
After your appointment, you will need time to recover from the sedative side effects. You will feel groggy and may need to rest for a few hours. Most patients will remember very little, if anything at all, from their dental appointment.
Is Sedation Safe?
Yes, we ensure sedation is as safe as possible for our patients. We will recommend the best sedation method based on your age, the medications you take, and any medical conditions. These factors can impact treatment.
For example, some methods of sedation are safer for children. We often recommend laughing gas for younger patients. Our office easily controls the amount of sedation. We can reverse the effects by supplying more oxygen through the mask.
Additionally, we will not recommend some sedation methods for patients with certain medical problems. For example, if you have kidney, liver, or metabolism issues, we will not recommend oral conscious sedation. We cannot track how long it will take for the medication to take effect.
We will not recommend laughing gas if you fear breathing through a mask or have breathing problems. In addition, we will take note of any allergies before treatment. If you have an allergy to our anti-anxiety medications, we will recommend another treatment method. We are dedicated to your health and safety in our office.
Learn More about Sedation Dentistry in Allen, TX
Get comfortable, relaxing dental care and prevent anxiety at your next visit. Before your dentist appointment, you should discuss your sedation options. Allen Dental Center is happy to help each patient.
Schedule an appointment at our office today. Contact us at (972) 727-3941 to learn more about your sedation options in Allen, TX. Let us know if you have any questions about your treatment. We’re here to help you.