Having been a New Albany dentist for several decades, I’ve seen nearly every type of dental complication. I’ve treated patients with tooth decay or those with struggling with missing teeth. I even work to help patients retrain their brain about the dentist. How can a dentist do that?
Well, I’ve found that tools like sedation dentistry can help. Sedation dentistry is our greatest tool to fight against dental fear and dental anxiety. Most of us have some fear of the dentist, whether that’s:
• Fear of the procedures
• Fear of pain
• Fear of embarrassment
Sedation dentistry is a great way to help patients relax in the dental chair. We can even use sedation dentistry to treat multiple problems in one visit.
What Types of Sedation Do We Use?
Many dental offices are equipped with nitrous oxide, who know this better as laughing gas. This is inhaled in the lungs and wears off quickly after the treatment. Nitrous is often the only sedation service a dentist will offer. This can be a great tool for those with mild dental anxiety, but many patients need something more to help them relax.
This where deeper sedation like oral conscious and IV sedation can help. Oral conscious sedation is rendered as a pill. You’ll take it before the office visit and have someone drive you to our office. While we refer to this as conscious sedation, many patients fall asleep. The only downside to oral conscious sedation is that it’s harder to adjust and can wear off during the treatment.
That’s why we often use IV sedation on our most fearful patients — or those who need substantial dental work completed in one visit. IV sedation works instantly and wears off quickly once the treatment is finished. For me, it’s easier to adjust and extremely safe for the patient. This sedation can reduce your dental visits as well. What used to take two or three visits can now be completed in one visit.
The Major Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
The great challenge of any dentist is to reduce pain and provide durable, long-lasting results. That’s exactly why I use sedation dentistry. It helps me reduce the patient’s recovery period and address dental problems quickly — instead of waiting months or even longer. You might have a longer dental visit, but you won’t have to worry about the problems any longer.
My IV sedation patients experience: No Pain. No smells. No Sights. And often have little to no memory of the treatment. It’s as though you took a nap and woke up to find your dental problems gone. My patients also don’t have to worry about things like a horrible gag reflex, which is a major problem for many patients.
Schedule An Appointment
The most important thing to me in the patient. I want the patient to be comfortable in my chair, and I want the patient to be confident in the dental treatments I offer. We can help you overcome missing teeth or fix your nagging cosmetic dental issues. Call my office today (812) 945-7645 to schedule a consultation.