Sedation Dentist

The Basics of Sedation Dentistry

If you have dental anxiety, please let us know when you make an appointment so that we can prepare for your visit. For many people, the operation itself is not painful; rather, it is the fear and worry that causes concern.

With this in mind, we often recommend an oral sedative or laughing gas to help people relax prior to their treatment. Although this is not a pain reliever, it reduces anxiety and relaxes the body, allowing you to stay calm while getting your teeth cleaned or dental work done.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

There are several different types and dosage levels of sedation. During your appointment, we’ll go over our protocols as well as any concerns you may have. From there, we will recommend the sedation method that is likely to fit your needs. You get to make the final decision depending on how you think you’ll handle the process.

In many cases, our patients need to unwind and tend to do so with laughing gas. It is fast, efficient, and does not affect any other bodily functions when the procedure is completed. Since there is no physical discomfort involved with this method some people choose it to relax when having their teeth cleaned.

Patients may choose to use a combination of laughing gas and localized pain relief while having a cavity filled or any minor dental work done. We may administer pain medicine that numbs the area being operated on after numbing the surface of the gums. This is an effective technique for us as sedation dentists to avoid and remove any pain.

The advantage of this form of sedation is that it is very localized. For example, if one side of the mouth is being treated for a cavity, the other side would remain completely functional. This allows you to eat right after the injection as the numbing effect on the other side wears off.

Total sedation can be required or preferred for those requiring oral surgery. Since the patient is sedated and may have no recollection of the operation, it is often referred to as sleep dentistry. As a sedation dentist, we find that when a patient is having a full smile makeover, this is an excellent option.

several teeth need to be operated on, the process will take a long time. We must perform dental work with accuracy, which necessitates not rushing the operation. With this in mind, our Scottsdale patients can find it difficult to remain still for more than an hour or two during their care.

Going to sleep is a much better choice because the body will automatically stay still, you will be calm, and you will have no recollection of what happened during the procedure. If this is your favorite form of sedation dentistry, we will keep a close eye on you both during and after the procedure to ensure that the anesthesia wears off properly. You’ll also need someone to drive you home and pick you up.

Getting Started

If you live in the Scottsdale area and are interested in visiting a sedation dentist, call (480) 607-6937 to schedule your appointment. Scottsdale Family Smiles will take the time to get to know you and understand all of your concerns before beginning treatment so that you feel comfortable throughout your oral health procedure.