Do you have dental anxiety? Does a member of your family have special needs that make undergoing treatment a difficult process for them? These are just two examples of when patients can benefit from dental sedation. In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about our approach to sedation dentistry, and how we choose the best option for you!
When a Patient Requires Dental Sedation
Dental sedation offers a calming influence, so people enter a state of relaxation during treatment. We could recommend this for people who have anxiety. We understand your dental fears are real and we won’t minimize them. Instead, we want to find a way for you to undergo the treatment you need in a comfortable manner, so you can enjoy better oral health. This means these treatments can help people with special needs too. If you’re undergoing more extensive treatments, such as placing dental implants to address tooth loss, removing wisdom teeth before they erupt and become impacted, or use bone grafting to rebuild weakened portions of the jaw prior to implant placement, we can ensure your experience is a comfortable one.
How We Choose Your Calming Solution
We take a number of different factors into account when we recommend treatment for you. For example, we will look at your medical and dental history, and your age and weight will be a factor too. We also look at anxiety levels or any issues that could complicate how you receive treatment. Again, we want to choose the best option for you so you have a positive experience at the office, and receive the care you need to enjoy optimal oral health and a beautiful smile.
Three Possible Options
We have three different options to choose from. The most common option is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. This one is often prescribed for kids and adults alike. Patients wear a mask over their nose and inhale a gas that helps them enter a state of calm and euphoria. You remain conscious and can respond to the dentist as needed, but will likely have little to no memory of the procedure at all. The effects can be dusted during your treatment and they end once the procedure does. In many cases, kids and adults can return to school or work! Most adults can even drive themselves home.
Oral conscious sedation is a deeper form that we can provide for our patients. This is taken before the procedure in a pill or liquid form, and leads to a deeper state of calm, again with little to no memory of the treatment. You will still be conscious and able to respond to the dentist as needed. You should avoid food and drink for the six to eight hours prior to the procedure, and be sure when you arrive you wear loose and comfortable clothing. You should have someone available to bring you home afterward and gather any necessary paperwork and prescriptions, as the effects will leave you groggy for a bit. You won’t be able to return to work or school.
The deepest form of relaxation we can provide is known as IV sedation. As the name implies, this helps you enter a very deep state of calm, and is administered intravenously. A trained anesthesiologist will be on hand to monitor you the entire time. You will enter a very heavy state of relaxation, and again will have no memory of the procedure afterward. We may also recommend fasting in the hours before the procedure, and urge you to wear loose and comfortable clothing when you arrive. The effects will take time to wear off completely, so be sure someone can bring you home afterward.
If you have dental anxiety or other concerns that make undergoing care a difficult process, don’t let the health and beauty of your smile suffer. Instead, talk to our team about possible solutions, so we can help you improve the health, beauty, and function of your smile, and ensure you enjoy a positive experience at the office. We want to make sure you look forward to your next visit instead of dreading it.
Schedule Your Next Visit With Our Team to Discuss Sedation
Our team wants to help all of our patients, even those with dental anxiety, enjoy a comfortable experience in our office with sedation. If you need to schedule an appointment with our team, give us a call at Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS by calling )913)681-5500 today! Everyone deserves a healthy and beautiful smile, and we want to make sure that is possible for you. We can help with a comprehensive array of treatments, including custom mouthguards, cosmetic treatments, and lifelike dental implants.
