Many people dislike visiting the dentist, but if you suffer from sweaty palms, rapid breathing, faintness or dizziness, nausea, or sickness at the thought of attending a dental appointment, you could have dental phobia.

Dental phobia is a very real fear of the dentist that could prevent you from receiving the dental care that you need to keep your mouth and teeth as healthy as possible. Fortunately, there is an option that can enable even the most anxious patient to tolerate dental care – sedation dentistry.

 

Types Of Sedation Dentistry

We are delighted to offer our patients several different varieties of sedation dentistry, meaning that there is always a type to suit the procedure that you are about to have with us.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Nitrous Oxide, better known as laughing gas, is most commonly associated with childbirth as it is given to women in labor. However, it is also highly effective in dentistry. Breathing it in produces a light sedative effect, enabling patients to feel calmer and more relaxed. The effects only last as long as you are breathing the gas (which is administered via the nose in dentistry). The moment you stop, the effects will wear off in less than a minute.

Nitrous oxide sedation is typically recommended for people who have mild to moderate anxiety about their dental appointment, or who are having a minimally invasive procedure.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is provided in the form of a pill which is taken around an hour before your dental appointment. The effects of oral sedation are more pronounced than using nitrous oxide, with patients feeling deeply calm and relaxed and having only some awareness of what is happening around them. The effects also last for several hours after the appointment, meaning you will need someone to drive you home after.

Oral sedation is normally recommended for people with moderate anxiety about visiting the dentist, or who are having a significantly invasive procedure.

Intravenous Sedation

As its name suggests, this sedation is administered intravenously into a vein in your arm. It is also the deepest level of sedation possible, placing patients right on the very edge of consciousness. They will have very little awareness of what is happening or memory afterward. The effects of IV sedation can last for up to 24 hours afterwards, meaning you will need to have someone drive you home and stay with you.

Intravenous sedation is recommended for patients who require the most intense level of sedation, such as those with extreme anxiety or disabilities that make it hard for them to tolerate dental appointments. It’s also recommended where patients have to have a highly invasive treatment, such as getting dental implants.

 

What Are The Benefits Of Sedation Dentistry?

There are a range of benefits associated with the use of sedation dentistry. Some of the most significant include:

• Sedation dentistry enables anxious or scared patients to both attend dental appointments and receive the dental care that they need to enjoy optimal oral health and teeth that remain in great condition
  
   

• Sedation is also a great option for people who have disabilities that would otherwise make it hard or impossible for them to tolerate dental appointments. For example, people with Parkinson’s Disease suffer from involuntary shaking that can make dental treatment dangerous, but sedation helps to control this
  
   

• Sedation levels can be personalized to your individual needs, based on both the level of relaxation you need and the type of procedure that you are having
  
   

• Sedation doesn’t cause any long-lasting effects
  
   

• Your suitability for sedation will be assessed before your appointment, ensuring that any risks associated with the practice are kept extremely low
  
   

• Using sedation dentistry, your procedure will be a seamless, stress-free visit that will enable you to visit the dentist more often and receive the right oral care

To learn more about sedation dentistry, including to discover if you are a good candidate for treatment, please contact our friendly and reassuring team at Marine Park Periodontics and Implantology in Brooklyn, New York by calling 646-863-4810.