Minimize Dental Anxiety with Sedation Dentistry

Taking the Anxiety Out of Dental Care

Maintaining a healthy mouth is essential to your overall well-being. By undergoing restorative dentistry procedures, you can halt the progress of tooth decay and gum disease before they become severe. However, many patients become anxious at the mere thought of visiting the dentist, whether because of an unpleasant experience in the past or simply because the idea of undergoing dental work makes them fearful. Whatever the case, dental anxiety prevents some patients from seeking the quality care they deserve and sometimes urgently need. At Fikes & Wagner Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we are proud to offer safe and relaxing sedation dentistry to put such patients at ease during their treatment.

 

For expert sedation dentistry in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area, contact Fikes & Wagner Family and Cosmetic Dentistry today.

Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

The greatest benefit of sedation dentistry is that it eliminates many of the obstacles preventing patients from receiving the restorative dental care they need or the cosmetic dentistry they desire:

·         Patients with dental phobia experience anxiety at the prospect of undergoing dental treatment. With sedation dentistry, patients’ feelings of anxiety are eliminated and replaced with total relaxation. The patient will be unaware of the sights and sounds of the procedure, and will feel as though even extensive treatment lasted mere minutes. Or the patient may have little to no recollection of undergoing the procedure at all.

·         Patients with sensitive teeth may experience elevated levels of pain during dental procedures, deterring them from receiving the care they need. Sedation dentistry can reduce a patient’s awareness of the sensations associated with the procedure—including discomfort or pain.

·         Some patients are unable to achieve numbness with local anesthetic alone, making sedation dentistry a requirement for procedures that would otherwise be painful.

·         When a patient is sedated, a greater amount of complex dental work can be accomplished in a single appointment. For those who need or want to undergo extensive dental work or combine multiple treatments—such as porcelain veneers, crowns and bridges, or dental implants—but do not have the time for multiple office visits, sedation dentistry can provide an ideal solution.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

With sedation dentistry, you will be free to undergo everything from a cavity filling to a complex cosmetic dentistry procedure without anxiety. Although both oral and intravenous sedation result in a depressed level of consciousness and a feeling of extreme relaxation, you will still be able to breathe independently and respond to verbal cues. When you discuss sedation dentistry at the Tuscaloosa, Alabama office of Dr. Fikes and Dr. Wagner, they will help you choose the method of sedation best suited to your individual needs.

Nitrous Oxide

Commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide effectively removes anxiety from minor or routine procedures such as cavity fillings. A small mask is placed over the nose and mouth, allowing the patient to comfortably inhale the nitrous oxide, which produces a numbing, calming effect within minutes. The level of sedation can be controlled by altering the amount of gas received by the patient. Nitrous oxide is especially helpful to patients with a strong gag reflex, as it relaxes the throat and saliva flow. Once the flow of nitrous oxide has stopped, its sedative effects will quickly dissipate.

Oral Sedation

Oral conscious sedation is the most commonly used form of sedation dentistry. Prior to their procedure, patients take a prescription pill that induces an overall feeling of calm and relaxation. It may be recommended that patients avoid food and drink for six hours before taking the medication. A deep enough level of sedation is achieved that patients are unaware of the sensations associated with the procedure. They will feel no pain, and will afterward feel as though the entire experience lasted mere minutes. Many patients appreciate the convenience of being able to eliminate anxiety simply by taking a pill.

Intravenous Sedation

Some patients prefer intravenous (IV) sedation due to the immediate sleep-like effect it produces. This method can also be referred to as “deep conscious sedation,” as it produces a more intense effect than oral sedation. When a dental anesthesiologist injects a small needle into the top of the hand or the inner elbow, sedating medication is delivered directly into the bloodstream. Throughout the procedure, the level of medication entering the patient’s system can be monitored and adjusted to ensure the optimum level of sedation at all times. Patients choosing IV over oral sedation will experience an elevated amnesia effect, remembering even less of the procedure.

After Sedation Dentistry

Because your safety is of the utmost concern, Dr. Fikes and Dr. Wagner require that a responsible caregiver accompany sedation patients to their appointments. Patients will be unable to drive after undergoing sedation treatment, and will need assistance with transportation, and settling back in at home.

Learn More about Sedation Dentistry

Don’t let anxiety prevent you from seeking the dental care you need and deserve. To learn more about sedation dentistry, contact the Tuscaloosa, Alabama office of Dr. Fikes and Dr. Wagner today.