Some people go to the dentist like they are visiting any other office. They are calm and collected and they simple have their teeth cleaned or their procedure done with no issues. But other people tense with fear at the simple thought of visiting the dentist. Those people would even rather endure tooth pain than go to the dentist for help. There are more people with dental fears out there than you may realize and if you are one of them, you should know that you are certainly not alone. A lot of people are so afraid of dentists that they would prefer not to get any treatment at all.
If you avoid going to the dentist, but really believe in dental hygiene and oral health, sedation dentistry in the Broken Arrow OK area might be something that interests you. Sedation dentistry can help take some of your anxiety away as you sit in the dental chair. And it can be used for large procedures or even just a tooth cleaning and maintenance session. How the sedation dentistry is used will depend on each patient’s situation and the extent of their fear.
Sedation Dentistry in Broken Arrow OK is a method that uses medication to help patients relax while they have dental procedures done. Sometimes, people call it sleep dentistry, though the patient is not usually asleep. There are several different levels of sedation that can be used.
The most moderate level of sedation is called minimal sedation. This sedation has the patient awake, but keeps him relaxed. Moderate sedation will also keep the patient away, but he may not remember much of the procedure. Deep sedation puts the patient to sleep, but right on the edge of consciousness where he can still be awakened easily. And general anesthesia renders the patient completely unconscious.
Just like there are a variety of levels of sedation, there are also lots of different types of sedation used. For minimal sedation, the patient generally breathes in nitrous oxide. This gas is also sometimes called laughing gas and it helps the patient relax. The gas wears off quickly and can be controlled by the dentist. This is the only sedation that the patient is allowed to drive himself home after the procedure.
Oral sedation can be anywhere from minimal to moderate. You would take a pill in the same family as Valium about an hour before the procedure. The patient may feel drowsy, but would still be awake. There are also IV sedations that administer drugs through a vein, which helps the medication take effect sooner.
If you have a deep fear of the dentist, talk to your Broken Arrow OK dental office about sedation dentistry to see if it would be a possibility for your next visit.
If you have a fear for dental procedures, check out Kid’s Dental for details on sedation dentistry and other tactics that can help keep you calm during your visit. You can also connect them on Facebook.
