5 Reasons for Considering Sedation Dentistry

Whether it’s been a while since your last appointment or you suffer from severe dental phobia and anxiety, upcoming dental visits can be an overwhelming prospect for countless patients. Regardless of your reasons, dental sedation offers patients the opportunity to enter their next appointment stress-free. Sedation dentistry is:

Tailored to Each Patient’s Needs
Dental sedation is a means to helping patients remain calm during their upcoming treatment. A sedation method is recommended based on your level of comfort as well as your upcoming procedure. At Westside Family Dentistry, we conduct an in-depth evaluation of our patient’s current oral health needs and current comfort level to determine which form of dental sedation can best improve your overall experience.

Safe for All Procedures and Adults
Dental sedation is highly versatile in that it can be administered prior to any procedure, not just extensive oral surgeries. As dosage is closely monitored by highly trained sedation professionals, dental sedation is safe for patients 16 years and older. While many patients may find themselves postponing dental care, putting themselves at risk of additional oral health problems, dental sedation helps patients to overcome their fears and anxieties safely and receive necessary dental treatments.

Limited Side Effects
One of the main concerns of patients considering sedation dentistry is how long the effects of the medication will last. Much of this depends on the type and strength of the sedation being administered. For example, while higher doses of intravenous or oral conscious sedation can lead to grogginess following treatment, more mild versions of sedation such as nitrous oxide (laughing gas) leave no lasting results, allowing patients to return to their daily routine without interruption.

Comforting During Lengthy Procedures
Depending on how long it’s been since your last dental visit, multiple treatments may be required in order to restore your smile to full health and wellness. Dental sedation allows patients to relax during these extended treatments and, depending on the strength of sedation, can cause patients to feel as though their treatment was much shorter than it truly was.

Effective in Alleviating Fears 
For countless individuals, negative prior dental experiences facilitated the development of dental anxieties or phobias. As a result of these negative prior experiences, these patients are often likely to avoid visiting the dentist unless they are suffering from a serious dental emergency. To help proactively avoid such emergencies, dental sedation can be added to routine cleanings, allowing anxious patients to receive much needed oral care and prevent serious damage.

At Westside Family Dentistry, our Durant dentists are proud to offer a number of sedation options tailored to meet our patients’ health and comfort needs. For more information about enhancing your next visit with sedation, contact our team today.