Do you struggle with dental anxiety or fear? Whether you’ve a bad experience in the past or you have a low tolerance for treatments, going to the dentist can be a stressful ordeal, but avoiding your dental care only puts you at greater risk for serious oral diseases. At Texas Dentistry, we have the resources to remove that stress and get you the dental care you need! Our dental office offers every available level of sedation dentistry in Terrell, including even those typically seen only in hospitals! All you need to do is give our dental office a call before your appointment so that we are prepared to make your visit as comfortable as possible.
For moderate levels of anxiety, we may choose oral conscious sedation, a common form of sedation dentistry. Before your appointment, you take this sedative orally, and by the time your appointment begins, you feel completely relaxed. We usually recommend taking the sedative several hours before your appointment so that its effects have had a chance to work. During the appointment, you will be awake, but you will likely not remember details from your time in the chair. Because this sedation method is so effective, you need to have a friend or family member drive you to and from the appointment.
If you have mild anxiety or fear around the thought of getting dental work done, then nitrous oxide in Terrell may be an ideal option for you. This fast-acting, odorless gas consists of a combination of both oxygen and nitrous and is administered through a nasal mask that you wear throughout treatment. Once you arrive for your appointment, we can begin giving you nitrous oxide right away to start the calming sensation you’ll enjoy throughout your procedure. What’s the best part? Its effects wear off just as quickly as they set in, allowing you to get back to your day without any lingering grogginess.
Nitrous oxide is the mildest form of sedation dentistry available, and it’s extremely safe for adults as well as children. In most cases, it’s ideal for patients with mild to moderate levels of dental anxiety. However, it can also benefit patients who have:
Before receiving nitrous oxide, your sedation dentist in Terrell will review your candidacy for the sedative. Most patients make good candidates, but certain medications or medical conditions may disqualify you. These include pregnancy, glaucoma, sinus congestion, and respiratory disease.
When you get settled in the dental chair, we’ll place a small hood over your nose, through which we’ll administer the nitrous oxide. It shouldn’t be visible or smell like anything, but you should begin to feel its effects almost immediately. You’ll start to feel lighter, calmer, and even euphoric; you might even get the giggles, which is where the nickname “laughing gas” comes from!
Once we’ve completed your procedure, all we need to do is remove the nasal mask and have you breathe in regular air. The sedative’s effects should begin to wear off just as quickly as they came on.
It shouldn’t take more than half an hour or so for the nitrous oxide to fully leave your system and for you to feel back to normal. Our team will make sure that you feel comfortable before sending you on your way. You should be able to drive yourself back to work, school, or home and continue with your regularly scheduled day. Be sure to follow any post-op guidelines that we have provided to ensure you make a full recovery!
In cases of more severe anxiety or fear, we offer IV (intravenous) sedation. Using this method, we can administer strong sedatives directly into your bloodstream for an almost immediate calming effect. Despite this, you’ll still be conscious and able to let us know whether you need an additional sedative to feel relaxed. This form of sedation is particularly ideal for people with mental disabilities, who cannot remain still in the dental chair for long periods of time.
Although more commonly used in medical procedures like surgery, general anesthesia puts you into a sleep-like state. Our Terrell dental office is proud to have the expertise and training required to safely administer and regulate medications used in general anesthesia, which may be ideal for your treatment if you’re getting a large amount of dental care done or you’re undergoing a complex procedure. Removing all signals and reflexes to the brain during treatment, this method is also especially helpful for those who are extremely sensitive to discomfort.
Getting the dental care you need is possible through sedation dentistry! Just let us know about your concerns before your appointment so that we make the right accommodations. We’ll make your visit a comfortable and relaxing experience.