Sedation Dentistry

Feel Comfortable in the Dental Chair

Do you get nervous at the idea of visiting a dentist? Research states that only about half of Americans see their dentist on a regular basis, and a great number of the other half avoid these appointments because of dental anxiety or fear. While it might not seem like a big deal, a fear of the dentist can negatively impact your overall health. Multiple studies have linked oral health problems, such as gum disease, to medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and birth complications in pregnant people.

Fortunately, there are ways to feel comfortable in the dental chair, no matter how powerful your dental anxiety may be. With sedation dentistry, Dr. Tiet can use either nitrous oxide or oral conscious to soothe your worries and allow you to get the dental care you need to maintain excellent general health. Keep reading below to learn about how these treatments work and the benefits of seeing a sedation dentist in Wharton.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

For patients with mild to moderate dental anxiety, we highly recommend nitrous oxide sedation. A small mask is placed over your nose. Through it, you’ll breathe in this colorless, odorless gas. Within seconds, waves of relaxation and even euphoria will wash over you. You’ll still be conscious, but odds are you won’t remember much of your procedure. Once we remove the mask, its effects will wear off quickly, allowing you to drive yourself home and resume your day as normal afterward.

Oral Conscious Sedation

If your nervousness is more severe, we also offer oral conscious sedation. With this sedation method, you’ll take a potent anti-anxiety pill about an hour before your appointment is set to begin. You’ll feel even more relaxed than you would with nitrous oxide. In fact, you’ll feel so groggy that you might briefly fall asleep during your treatment, but we can easily nudge you awake. Because the effects might last for several hours, you’ll need someone to drive you to and from our office and keep an eye on you as you spend the remainder of the day resting.

Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Some of the advantages of undergoing sedation dentistry include:

• It allows nervous patients to receive the quality dental care they deserve.
• Sedation helps patients stop putting off their treatment, saving them from more extensive and costlier services in the future.
• Patients remember little to nothing about their treatment afterward, which is what many patients with dental anxiety prefer.
• Patients with an anxiety disorder may enjoy better mental health overall after conquering one of their fears.

Sedation dentistry allows you to feel comfortable enough to relax while getting the care you need to have optimal oral health. To learn more about whether sedation is right for you, contact Wharton Dental today!