Anxiety-Free Dental Sedation Options

Posted July 25, 2018 in Uncategorized

The American Dental Association (ADA) found that 22% of patients don’t go to the dentist out of fear. That is more than 1 in 5 people! At OC healthy Smiles, we are committed to our patient’s needs and are thoughtful of those who may have dental fears.

We offer a number of relaxation options to calm your nerves during dental visits. Depending on your needs, you can request one of the many types of relaxation and dental sedation options that OC Healthy Smiles has to offer. To better understand the difference between each and to know which is best for your situation, make sure to schedule a consultation with us.

What Types of Dental Sedation Do You Offer?

Nitrous

You can drive to and from your appointments safely with no major side effects with nitrous oxide or more commonly known as laughing gas. Breathing in this colorless and odorless gas will quickly relax you and when the gas is shut off, the effects will wear off in about 5 minutes. This is one of the most popular sedation methods used because it works so quickly and has little to no side effects. It is best to eat a light meal prior to using nitrous to avoid minor side effects such as nausea or headaches.

Partial Sedation

Most commonly used when seeing your oral surgeon, partial sedation will relax you while also being a pain blocker. With this method, you will be required to have a driver for after your appointment and it is suggested that you relax after sedation. Depending on your treatment, your doctor will go over more instructions for this method of sedation.

IV Sedation

No matter how big or small the treatment, our in-office dental anesthesiologist is trained to safely administer IV sedation. With this method, you will be asleep for the entirety of the treatment. Dentists usually offer this method for patients with extreme dental fear and longer treatments. To learn more about IV sedation and how to schedule your appointment call OC Healthy Smiles at (714) 545-0484.

How Safe Is Dental IV Sedation?

When you have an IV sedation at OC Healthy Smiles, you will be under the care of a dental anesthesiologist who will monitor your vitals through the entire procedure. Our dental anesthesiologist specializes in caring for patients with dental fears and will walk you through care instructions. Our specialist has gone through additional training and certifications to provide our patients with the best and safest care while they are sedated. The anesthesiologist tailors the amount of sedation to your specific needs and treatment, making the process extremely safe.

Your dentist can suggest one of the options for you based upon what type of treatment you will need. At all of your visits, we encourage you to take advantage of our comfort menu that is designed to keep you relaxed with offerings of items like calming lavender scented towels, headphones, or even Dish television to ease your mind.

Call (714) 545-0484 to schedule your visit to find out which option is best for you!

https://www.ada.org/en/science-research/health-policy-institute/dental-statistics/patients