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Sedation Dentistry
Does the mere idea of going to the dentist make you feel anxious or stressed out? You aren’t alone – between 50 and 80 percent of people feel some degree of dental anxiety. In some cases, dental anxiety prevents people from getting the dental care they need.
The good news is that we provide an exceptional dental experience that helps you feel relaxed during your treatment. We will work with you to create a personalized sedation plan that helps melt away any stress or anxiety you may feel while you are in our care.
Because dentists that put you to sleep can work more quickly while you are sedated, sedation dentistry may even result in fewer appointments.
If you experience any degree of dental anxiety, you may benefit from our personalized approach to pain free dentistry. You may be a good candidate for sedation if you:
Sedation dentistry helps millions of people just like you have a relaxing patient experience. Several sedation options are now available. Our team of dental professionals always work with every patient to create a personalized sedation approach.
You will breathe this sedating medication through a mask or nosepiece; you can expect the calming effects to take hold within three to five minutes. Our dentists can control the amount of nitrous oxide you receive and adjust the dosages throughout the procedure according to your needs. When the procedure is done, our dental team administers pure oxygen through the mask or nosepiece to flush the nitrous oxide from your system immediately. You should be able to drive yourself home after the procedure, but you will still want to take it easy the rest of the day.
Intravenous (IV) sedation, also known as sleep dentistry, is the deepest form of sedation available at a dentist office. Your dental team will administer sedative medications directly into your bloodstream through IV needle and tubing, and monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels while you are sedated. They can adjust the dosage at any point to provide lighter or deeper sedation, and can even administer medications to reverse the sedative effect if necessary. Most people who undergo full sedation with IV sedation have little to no memory of their treatment. IV sedation is best for those with severe anxiety or who are undergoing a complex or lengthy procedure.
Some patients are uncomfortable with IV sedation, so we offer sedation in the form of a pill that they can take by mouth. These prescription pills make you feel drowsy and relaxed. Depending on the specific oral sedative used and your body’s response to it, you may even fall asleep your dental treatment, but you will still be able to communicate with your dentist and awaken with just a nudge. It may take several hours for the effects to wear off after your treatment is complete, though, so plan to have someone take you home.
When administered by trained professionals, sedation dentistry is typically safe. In fact, sedation dentistry can even be safer, in that patients’ blood pressure tends to rise without sedation.
The amount of time it takes to recover from sedation depends largely on the type of sedation used – IV sedation and oral sedation recovery times are usually longer than the recovery time from nitrous oxide. It is always best to have someone drive you to and from any treatment that involves sedation. While recovering from sedation dentistry, you should not drink alcohol, drive, or operate machinery for hours.
For more information on sedation dentistry, consult with the dental professionals at Niva Dental Specialists. We offer the sedation dentistry Austin can rely on for the most comfortable dental experience possible.
Call (512) 881-8852 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
