For many people, the dentist’s office is the last place they want to be. Patients frequently report past traumatic experiences as children or painful appointments as adults as reasons for avoiding dental cleanings for so long. There also are other reasons for individuals to avoid making, and keeping, their appointments including, extreme dentophobia, anxiety, and more. Through the safe and effective use of sedation dentistry, Asheville Dental treats people who have experienced trauma or suffer from other conditions that make going to the dentist extremely difficult.
WHAT IS SEDATION DENTISTRY?
Sedation dentistry provides patients with an office experience that is relaxing and free of fear. We use it for a variety of patients in a wide array of circumstances, including routine cleanings, tooth extractions, and root canals.
WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SEDATION?
- Nitrous Oxide: Known as “laughing gas,” it is a conscious inhalation that helps you relax.
- Oral Sedatives: You take medication the night before, or at the office thirty minutes to an hour before your procedure. A common medication is Valium, depending on the patient and the situation.
- Intravenous: With IV sedation, the sedative is injected into the vein and therefore works more quickly.
- General Anesthesia: Medication is used to make you either completely or nearly completely unconscious.
All of these methods require a local anesthetic to eliminate pain.
WHO DOES IT HELP?
This method helps those who have:
- Severe dental phobias
- Strong gag reflexes
- Low threshold for pain
- Very sensitive teeth
- Small mouth that becomes fatigued
- Difficulty sitting for long periods of time
- Anxiety disorders
- Extensive procedures required during one appointment
Our office has extensive experience providing sedation dentistry services, and Asheville Dental was the first dentistry practice in western North Carolina to offer IV sedation.
Questions or concerns? Call us at 828.277.5024 to discuss the advantages of dental work done under sedation. You also may contact us here. We will put your mind at ease and a smile on your face.