Sedation Dentistry
Tell Your Fears Goodbye with Soothing Sedation Dentistry
Studies show that 50% of Americans avoid regular dental visits because of anxiety. Dental phobia is a very real, and very scary, condition. Neglecting it can result in serious oral and whole health consequences. The dentists at Allen Dental Center want you to know that there is an answer to dental anxiety. We offer sedation dentistry to help patients address dental phobia and alleviate their fears.
Sedation dentistry involves the use of medicine to provide relief from anxiety. You may be a candidate for sedation dentistry if you:
- Continually reschedule dental appointments
- Experience mild to severe dental anxiety
- Need extensive dental work performed
- Haven’t been to a dentist in years
- Have trouble sitting still or holding your mouth open for long periods of time
- Dislike needles
- Become anxious from the sights, sounds, smells of a dental office
- Want to save time by having numerous procedures performed in a single visit
Dr. Jeff Williams and Dr. Steve Williams offer nitrous oxide, oral sedation, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation. The dentist will discuss your needs and concerns to identify the type of sedation that’s best for your situation.
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Nitrous Oxide: You probably know nitrous oxide as laughing gas. Patients inhale this soothing anesthetic during dental treatments to relax and relieve anxiety. The effects of nitrous oxide diminish quickly. Patients can resume normal activities immediately following treatment.
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Oral & Oral Conscious Sedation: A commonly prescribed sedative taken before dental procedures alleviates fear and anxiety. Oral sedation patients must have someone drive them to and from their appointment. Once at the dentist’s office, we’ll get you comfortably situated and begin monitoring your vital signs. Dr. Jeff or Dr. Steve may enhance your sedation with nitrous oxide. (The combination of a sedative plus nitrous is called oral conscious sedation.)
The dentist will perform your dental work, often reversing the effects of damage and neglect in a single sedation dentistry session. You won’t be asleep, but you will be unaware of treatment details. The effects of oral and oral conscious sedation wear off gradually, and most patients return to their normal routine the evening of their sedation dentistry appointment.
- IV Sedation: If you require IV sedation – the deepest form of sedation we offer – we’ll bring in a board-certified anesthesiologist to administer sedating medication directly into your bloodstream and monitor your vital signs throughout your appointment. With IV sedation, patients enter a state of intense relaxation but are not fully “under.” IV sedation diminishes slowly to allow patients to get back to routine activities the following day.
Call Allen Dental Center today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Jeff Williams, Dr. Steve Williams or Dr. Brad Wyatt. Residents of Plano, McKinney, Fairview, Lucas, Wylie and surrounding areas rely on our Allen dental office for contemporary, family-friendly dental care.