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Manage Your Dental Anxiety with Sedation
With an estimated 30-40 million Americans who suffer from dental anxiety, it’s not uncommon for people to avoid the dentist. However, the long-term consequences of postponing important checkups and cleanings can quickly wreak havoc on your smile and overall wellbeing.
If you’ve been putting off your next visit to Larson Dental, it’s time to ask our Prescott Valley dentists about sedation dentistry.
Why Might I Want Sedation?
Sedation is an excellent option for people who skip regular dentist visits due to anxiety or fear. The most common reasons people choose this service include:
- Anxiety or fear of the dentist
- Memories of traumatic dental experiences
- A fear of needles
- A strong gag reflex
- Difficulty becoming numb
- Sensitive teeth or gums
How Does Sedation Work?
Sedation dentistry involves the use of medication to keep the patient relaxed during their appointment. These medications range in strength and are safe for use by most healthy adults during both routine and advanced dental treatments.
Types of Sedation
At Larson Dental, we offer two types of sedation: nitrous oxide sedation and oral conscious sedation.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is administered through a mask that’s placed over your nose. As you breathe, you’ll become relaxed and any anxiety will fade away.
The major benefit of nitrous oxide is that its effects wear off almost immediately after the procedure, which means you can drive yourself home.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Some patients might need a deeper sedative than nitrous oxide. For these patients, we also offer oral conscious sedation. Administered in pill form, oral sedation allows patients to arrive for their appointment in a calmed state.
You’ll remain conscious during the procedure, but the effects of oral sedation can stick around for a little while. For this reason, we require that you have someone drive you home afterwards.
The benefits of oral sedation include:
- You’ll feel relaxed while still conscious
- It’s safe for almost anyone
- Pill form makes it easy to administer
- Effective for routine and complex procedures
- No lasting side effects
Get the Dental Care You Need with Sedation
At Larson Dental, we believe that all patients deserve dental care in a comfortable, welcoming environment. Whether you suffer from dental anxiety or are facing extensive treatment, sedation can help.
To learn more about adding dental sedation to your next visit, contact our office today and schedule a consultation.
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928-237-9064
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sedation safe?
Will I be unconscious?
Is sedation safe?
Yes! As long as the medication is administered by a licensed dentist, you have nothing to worry about. Rest assured, we’ll monitor your vital signs throughout the procedure to ensure they remain at a normal level. If any problem is detected, we can stop your treatment and begin reversing the sedation at once.
If you suffer from certain conditions, such as obesity or sleep apnea, you may be at risk for complications from sedation. During your initial consultation, make sure to inform your dentist of any medical conditions that you have so they can help determine a safe treatment plan for you.
Will I be unconscious?
One of the most common misconceptions about dental sedation is that you’ll be unconscious during treatment, but this isn’t the case. In fact, you’ll remain awake and responsive throughout your procedure no matter which sedation option you choose. However, you’ll feel deeply relaxed and likely won’t remember the experience later. We often refer to this state of consciousness as “twilight sleep.”