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A dental procedure can be nerve-wracking, especially for patients who experience dental anxiety. At our office, we offer sedation dentistry to help you remain calm and comfortable during dental procedures.

Sedation Dentistry

Dental sedation is the practice of using medication to relax and calm patients during dental procedures. This practice is most popularly known as “sleep dentistry” and has been used for many years to help patients with dental anxiety overcome their fear of the dentist and gain the dental care they need to stay healthy.

Thanks to advances in modern dentistry, today’s medications are reliable and safe for most adults. Many patients can gain benefits from this type of sedation, including:

• Comfort during procedures like root canals and extractions
• Reduced fear and anxiety of going to the dentist
• Fewer appointments due to fewer cancellations
• Faster healing after treatments because patients are more comfortable
• Better oral health because of more frequent cleanings and maintenance visits
• Less stress and more relaxation at home after treatment thanks to more regular visits to the dentist’s office for treatment

Patients who are interested in receiving sedation should discuss this option with their dentist prior to scheduling an appointment. Some patients who have certain health conditions or a sensitivity to certain types of medicines may not be good candidates for sedation. Your dentist will be able to address these concerns with you to help you determine if sedation is right for you.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

• Oral conscious sedation is a minimally-invasive way of achieving relaxation during treatment. This form of sedation is in the form of a pill that you take about an hour before your appointment. You will have little to no memory of your procedure, but you will still respond to your provider’s commands. This sedation allows patients to relax and feel drowsy throughout treatment. You will need a driver to take you home after oral conscious sedation treatment, and you will not be able to return to work for the rest of the day.
• Nitrous oxide inhalation is another common type of sedation dentistry that has a moderate level of relaxation associated with it. Although nitrous oxide wears off relatively quickly after treatment, you will still be unable to drive yourself home following treatment with inhalation sedation. This type of sedation is typically used for children or people with low pain tolerance.
• IV sedation works very quickly, even in extremely nervous patients. This is when the patient receives medication intravenously, which is administered through a vein in a process called cannulation. IV sedation works more quickly but can cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and even a temporary loss of consciousness. Many people report feeling “out of it” with this level of sedation, and you will need a friend or family member to drive you home after a procedure using IV sedation. This is the deepest level of sedation available in dentistry.

Schedule an appointment with Austgen Family Dental to learn more about oral care. We are at 1405 W County Line Rd, Suite A, Greenwood, IN 46142. Contact us at (317) 885-6400 or visit our website to book an appointment.