We often encounter people with serious dental anxiety, who have avoided dental care out of nervousness or fear. Unfortunately, avoiding dental care can mean the onset of poor oral health. In order to help anxious patients remain calm and receive the care they need, we may suggest sedation to help them relax.
How Does Sedation Work?
We actually have three distinct options available for our patients. The first is known as inhaled sedation. We use nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas), which is administered through a mask over the nose, to relax the patient. After the procedure, the effects wear off almost immediately, many patients can even return to work or school and drive themselves.
Oral conscious is administered via a pill and offers a more substantial form of relaxation. Patients will need time to recover from the effects, so we recommend having a friend or family member drive them home.
Finally, our deepest form of relaxation is intravenous, in which we use an IV to administer the calming solution. We carefully monitor the patient’s vital when using IV sedation and as will oral conscious, a friend or family member should be on hand to bring the patient home.
When Do You Recommend It?
We recommend these options for patients with mild to severe anxiety, which would normally make receiving dental treatment difficult, if not impossible. The option we choose will depend on the severity of the patient’s anxiety.
Who Qualifies for These Calming Solutions?
We will examine your medical history and take other factors into account before we prescribe a calming solution. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
ABOUT YOUR ENCINITAS/SAN DIEGO, CA, LASER PERIODONTIST:
As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Ann M. Kania is specially qualified to diagnose and treat issues concerning periodontal tissue and the supportive structures of a patient’s smile, as well as place dental implants to restore teeth lost to dental disease or trauma. Dr. Kania also offers the Pinhole® Surgical Technique (PST) for minimally-invasive, scalpel-free gum grafting. To seek Dr. Kania’s expertise, contact her office today at (760) 642-0711.