Have you put off scheduling a dental appointment due to anxiety? It is time to get your oral health back on track and start smiling confidently!? The dentists at Life Smiles Dental Care in Phoenix can help, with gentle sedation dentistry.
When sedation makes sense
Nervous patients are not the only ones who benefit from dental sedation. Our dentists may recommend sedation:
- For an extensive treatment or the convenience of multiple procedures at one visit.
- To calm an over-active gag reflex.
- For a patient who has problems sitting comfortably for the duration of an appointment due to physical or emotional disabilities.
- To help pediatric patients develop a positive attitude toward dental care.
Soothing options
We offer two types of sedation, which can be used in combination. With either nitrous oxide or oral sedation, you remain conscious, but relaxed and unconcerned about the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of treatment. Sedation is not a pain block. It simply eases anxiety responses in the brain, so numbing may still be needed.
Nitrous oxide is a pleasantly scented gas, inhaled through a nose mask. It immediately induces a happy, carefree state. “Laughing gas” is safe for children, and the effect wears off quickly, so adults can drive or return to work. Nitrous oxide is a good choice for the mildly nervous patient or one who is afraid of needles.
Oral conscious sedation is a pill taken by mouth. It encourages a deeper sense of relaxation in both mind and body. Some patients doze off, but you can still respond to verbal cues, signal the dental team, and move around if you need to. You are groggy as the medication wears off slowly, so you will need a driver. Oral sedation has a bit of amnesic side effect – most patients have little recollection of treatment.
Be assured that you are not left alone while under sedation, and vital signs and wellbeing are closely monitored.
Call Life Smiles Dental Care in Phoenix at (602) 786-5484. You won’t get a lecture, but you will get sedation options that restore your faith in dentistry.