Are you anxious about having dental treatment performed? You are not alone! Many people postpone having necessary treatment due to a high level of fear. Most dental conditions worsen when they are not treated and can put a person’s health at risk in some cases.
At Long Family Dental, we offer several levels of sedation to make it comfortable for you to have treatment. The first level is nitrous oxide or laughing gas. Many dental practices offer this level. It relaxes you and gives you a “floating” feeling so you are distracted from what is going on in your mouth.
The next level of sedation is oral sedation. A patient arrives about an hour prior to treatment and takes medication prescribed by the doctor according the medical history and existing medications. Again, the patient feels very relaxed and many times will go to sleep. The patient is aware at a certain level that dental work is being performed, but they are so relaxed they really don’t care.
The highest level of sedation offered at our practice is IV conscious sedation. The patient is put on an IV drip of medication prescribed according to the medical history and existing medications. The patient’s vital signs are monitored closely as the patient rests comfortably and is generally unaware of what is happening. When treatment is complete, the doctor stops the IV medication and the patient wakes up with no to little memory of the procedure.
If you need dental treatment but are afraid, let us schedule you for an exam and discuss which option would be best for you. Remember, postponing the treatment will allow the conditions to worsen and negatively impact your health. Once you have experienced sedation dentistry, you won’t be afraid to have dental treatment in the future!