Sedation Dentist Pasadena Texas:
Sedation dentistry can assist in alleviating anxiety. If you are anxious about visiting the dentist or if you have a condition such as Parkinson’s disease or cerebral palsy that makes it difficult for you to sit for extended periods of time, various methods of sedation can help you feel at ease during a dental procedure. Sedation dentistry at our Staten Island, New York, office can assist patients who suffer from dental anxiety or phobia to have a relaxing and comfortable dental experience. Dr. Nugent can offer both nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation to assist with anxiety relief. We hope that by providing these options, patients who may have been delaying treatment will be able to receive the solace they deserve in a calm, stress-free environment.
Why use Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation is typically used to help patients calm during lengthy, complex dental procedures, such as dental implant surgery. However, it is also extremely advantageous for individuals who experience anxiety when contemplating dental treatment.
Each year, between 30 and 40 million individuals in the United States avoid the dentist due to dental anxiety and phobia. These conditions can differ from a mild fear of needles to a crippling phobia of the dentist. A previous traumatic dental experience is one of the most common causes, although the precise cause varies between individuals.
We hope that by offering sedation options, patients who have been delaying treatment will be able to receive the solace they deserve in a calm, stress-free environment.
These conditions can prevent individuals in need of dental care from ever consulting a dentist, despite their excruciating pain. However, untreated dental issues can lead to tooth loss, chronic bad odor, low self-esteem, gum disease, and even more serious health conditions.
If you meet the following criteria, you may be a suitable candidate for sedation dentistry:
- Have dental sensitivity
- Want to not remember your dental visit
- A local anesthetic that provides an acceptable measure of numbness is difficult to obtain.
- Fear of injections or a hypersensitive gag reflex
- Are undergoing an extended or intricate dental procedure
- Have trouble remaining still or unwinding in the dental chair
Varieties of Sedation
Sedation can help you remain tranquil and at ease throughout the duration of a procedure. In addition, Dr. Nugent will administer a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area in order to maximize patient comfort.
Nitrous Oxide
This form of sedation, also known as laughing gas, is combined with oxygen and administered through a nose mask to help you relax during your treatment. You will be conscious but in a state similar to slumber. You will be able to communicate with the physician throughout the treatment, but most patients have little or no memory of the procedure afterwards. You will be able to drive yourself home after treatment because the effects of sedation will diminish once the mask is removed. Dr. Nugent also uses Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas) at his Pasadena, Texas Dental Office. There is no reason to fear coming to the dentist. Dr. Nugent can make your dental visits wonderful with sedation dentistry.
Conscious Oral Sedation
This form of sedation requires the administration of an anti-anxiety medication 30–60 minutes prior to the procedure. Similar to the effects of nitrous oxide, you will be drowsy, tranquil, and able to respond to commands. You will have little to no memory of the procedure following completion of the treatment. Oral conscious sedation can be combined with nitrous oxide, but because the effects of oral conscious sedation are longer-lasting, you will need someone to drive you home after the procedure.
The drug Triazolam has been sold as a sleeping pill, but it has a wonderful one-time effect, and it’s one of the safest drugs on the market. Most patients tell us they are calm and relaxed during their treatment, yet still awake. When they return to the office for their next visit, they report having slept a good part of the day, and really don’t remember much about being in the chair! With modern dentistry, there really shouldn’t be any significant discomfort while dental treatment is being performed, but often people who were traumatized as children just can’t shake that fear, and that is where these types of drugs are so wonderful. The only downside is that people who take this medication pretty much are limited for that day; they aren’t allowed to drive or do anything critical; most want to sleep for four or five hours afterwards. If you know of anyone who has significant dental concerns, but is too afraid to take care of them, have them give us a call and we will be glad to explain the benefits of sedation dentistry. It is a wonderful answer to that long-standing problem.
Advantages of Sedation
Sedated patients have the ability to:
- Receive essential restorative dental care while in a tranquil state
- Relax throughout both simple and intricate procedures.
- Receive stress-free, convenient, and high-quality care
- Comfortably occupy the dental throne for extended periods.
- Patients who receive sedation as part of a dental procedure can attain good oral health by undergoing treatments they would have avoided otherwise.
