Many people worry about visiting the dentist. At Magnolia Dental, not only are our procedures performed by board-certified experts, but we offer a variety of sedation methods to choose from. Visit us to learn more about the benefits of sedation dentistry.
Sedation dentistry uses anesthesia and sedatives to help patients relax during dental procedures. It is sometimes referred to as "sleep dentistry," although most forms of sedation allow the patient to remain awake and alert. We offer sedation dentistry options to reduce dental anxiety, put you at ease, and help you relax for a more comfortable and rewarding dental care experience.
With an oral sedative, you will receive the lightest form of sedation. We administer oral sedation in the form of a liquid or pill. Oral sedation puts you in a state of deep relaxation. You may feel sleepy or groggy, but you will still be conscious and able to follow instructions from your dentist. This is the most common form of sedation available.
Laughing gas is a safe and effective sedative agent. The gas is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that fits over your nose. This odorless, colorless gas is not meant to put you to sleep, but just to help you relax. You will be awake and able to respond to questions from your dentist or ask some questions of your own.
A local anesthetic will numb a specific area of your mouth. When you think of anesthesia, you might be thinking of general and regional anesthesia, which put you completely to sleep. Local anesthetic, on the other hand, will simply numb the treatment area without knocking you out.
Local anesthetics are administered at the beginning of your procedure. Your dentist will inject the target area of your mouth with the anesthetic. While you may feel some pressure, the injection will ensure that you do not feel any discomfort during the procedure.
If you have any allergies, if you are pregnant, or if you have any kind of deficiencies or illnesses, you need to be clear about them with your dentist. Some of these exceptions may mix poorly with certain methods of sedation.
If you feel a headache or nausea coming on, report this to your dentist as well. Dizziness, drowsiness, and slow reflexes, on the other hand, are all common side effects that you don’t need to worry about unless they persist.
Lastly, be sure not to wound the inside of your mouth while it’s numb! We feel pain for a reason, so be careful.
There is no need to fear the dentist’s chair! At Magnolia Dental, we offer sedtion options to help you relax. Just give us a call!
