When you think about your upcoming dental appointment, how do you feel? Are you excited or filled with anxiety? Like many people, anxiety is a feeling often associated with the dentist. Dental anxiety is so common that it actually has a name: odontophobia. Yet, there’s no need to fear the examination chair.
At Supreme Dentistry, we use
sedation dentistry services to reduce our patients’ fear and allow them to focus on the health of their teeth. Learn more about your solutions for dental anxiety by calling
844.966.2333.
What Is Sedation Dental Care?
Dental anxiety can cause patients to panic or feel stressed during their appointment. Dentists use sedation as a way to calm the anxiety that many adults feel when visiting the dentist. And for children, it helps ease their fears associated with many procedures–whether it is a general cleaning or cavity filling. Sedation is typically administered through inhalation. Then, your dentist can perform anesthetic injections or perform procedures without increasing patient anxiety.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Sedation Dental Care?
Sedation is a way to calm the nerves of anxious patients. Candidates for sedation dental care have heightened dental phobia, low pain thresholds, sensitive teeth, inability to sit calmly in the dentist’s chair, a pronounced gag reflex, or medical conditions like angina, epilepsy, or asthma that are triggered by stress.
What Type of Sedation Dental Care Is Available?
There are four types of sedation that are used during dental procedures:
- Inhaled Sedation is a popular way of sedating patients. Also known as laughing gas, patients will breathe nitrous oxide and oxygen through a mask covering the nose. Patients are semi-conscious during the dental procedure. A benefit to this form of sedation is that it wears off quickly so that patients can resume their daily activities after a waiting period.
- Oral Sedation requires patients to take a pill at least an hour before a dental procedure. Like laughing gas, patients will remain awake and semi-conscious.
- IV Sedation is a solution for patients who want a fast-acting drug and do not mind sedation intravenously. Yet, if a patient is fearful of injections or cannot stay still during a procedure, IV Sedation is not a good option.
- In a deep sedation dental service, patients are unconscious of having their procedure performed. Also known as general anesthesia, patients will not awaken until the effects of the medication wear off. When deep sedation is required to perform a dental procedure, a patient must have someone escort them home.
How Can Patients Reduce Their Stress Before A Dental Appointment?
If you know that you will be nervous about your upcoming dental appointment, you can take a few steps to approach your procedure with a positive mindset.
The first step to dealing with your anxiety is to acknowledge its presence. Then, convince yourself of the benefits of going forth with your procedure–your oral health is important, or you want to fill your cavity, or your wisdom teeth are hurting. And if you feel like you don’t want to go, remind yourself of why you need to go: If I don’t go to this exam, I won’t know if I have any cavities; If I don’t fill this cavity, it could turn into a root canal. When you focus on the benefits of visiting the dentist, you will realize that they far outweigh the negative.
Finally, bring a friend or family member who will be supportive. A good companion can keep you company in the waiting room, helping you ease your nerves while waiting.
Learn More About Supreme Dentistry’s Sedation Dental Services
Dental anxiety is an issue causing many people to avoid seeking dental care. However, not attending regularly scheduled exams and dental cleaning can increase your risk for dental issues.
At Supreme Dentistry, it is our goal to help patients achieve stress-free dental care. Our sedation dental services will help reduce your anxiety and allow you to focus on your oral health. Reach out today at
844.966.2333 to make an appointment. We are ready to serve you in a comfortable, warm environment.
