Multiple Sedation Options for Anxiety Reduction or Comfort
Fear of the dentist, or of dental work, is not uncommon among patients of any age. Unfortunately, fear of dental work can have the effect of causing dental patients to delay being seen by their dentists, and small challenges can quickly become dental emergencies if their condition worsens in the absence of timely intervention.
At Parkway Dental we offer sedation options to help you or your child manage symptoms of anxiety. We offer minimal sedation, which means we use either an oral medication or ‘laughing gas’. We also offer moderate sedation through IV. To discuss sedation options, please speak to your dentist.
Which Sedation Option is Right for Me?
It is important to discuss with your dentist if sedation is right for you, and which sedation option might be best. To ensure your comfort and a stress-free experience, we offer three effective sedation options tailored to your individual needs.
- Oral Sedation – A prescription pill that will induce a state of relaxation, through which you will remain conscious and able to communicate.
- Nitrous Oxide – Commonly known as “laughing gas.” It provides a light, calming effect that wears off quickly.
- IV Sedation – The deepest level of conscious sedation, administered intravenously for immediate and adjustable comfort.
We will work with you to determine the most appropriate and safest sedation method for your specific treatment and comfort level.
Root Causes of Dental Anxiety
Anxiety or fear can be triggered spontaneously or unconsciously in patients whose nervous systems respond to their environment with a fight-or-flight response. This response floods the blood stream with stress hormones with the effect of diverting blood away from the digestive system and into the extremities where they will be used to energize the defense system (fight) or run away (flight).
Our limbic systems can’t always tell the difference between a real or a perceived threat. The result can be an unconscious response to stress which leaves patients feeling anxious.
Medical sedation offers anxious patients relief from the physical symptoms of anxiety and encourages a state of relaxation and calm.
Tips to Help Manage Anxiety at The Dentist
Sedation is not the only thing that can be done to assist you in managing dental anxiety. Developing a relationship with your family dentist can assist you in feeling more comfortable in the environment, so we suggest choosing a family dentist who will support the evolving dental needs of all members of the family over time.
If you are feeling nervous, we suggest bringing a friend, partner or family member along to help provide comfort, moral support and maybe even some distraction from the preoccupation of worry. Once your appointment begins, it will be the dentist’s primary priority to ease your concerns and relax you into a state that facilitates a pleasant experience during your procedure.
Moderate Sedation
Moderate sedation is the level of sedation at which the patient maintains a stable heart beat independently and breathes on their own. When you are moderately sedated, you maintain consciousness and can respond to verbal cues with or without gentle physical stimulus. Moderate sedation is typically offered intravenously, leading it to be known as IV sedation. This option is available at Parkway Dental for those who qualify.
Deep Sedation
Deep sedation occurs under general anesthetic and is typically required only for complex cases such as extensive surgery. When a patient is under general anesthetic, they do not respond to touch or voice cues and they are fully unconscious. Unconscious patients under deep sedation rely on medical apparatus to breathe. It requires an anesthesiologist to administer. Patients requiring this type of sedation will be referred to a qualified medical professional.
