Sedation dentistry involves using medication during dental procedures to ensure that patients are relaxed, calm, and free of pain. For patients who suffer from dental anxiety, sedation serves two purposes. The first is to ensure they feel no pain during a procedure; the second is to help them feel less stressed and afraid, making the entire experience more positive!
What Types of Sedation Do We Offer at Shoal Creek Smile Studio?
There are different types of sedation available to patients, and not all dental practices offer all of them. Here at Shoal Creek Smile Studio, we offer three options for our patients, each valid and with its own advantages. After discussing the patient’s specific fears and anxieties, we will select the most appropriate solution.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
We place a mask over the patient’s nose, and they breathe in a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide. The “laughing gas” calms and relaxes the patient while keeping them aware enough to answer questions and respond to instructions. The effect wears off almost immediately once we remove the mask and the patient is no longer breathing the gas.
Oral Sedation
We recommend oral sedation when a patient needs a long or complex treatment that requires a stronger level of sedation than nitrous oxide. The patient takes medication that we prescribe about an hour before their appointment. The effects of oral sedation last for several hours.
IV Sedation
As the name suggests, IV sedation involves an intravenous line that delivers medication into the patient’s bloodstream during a procedure. We recommend this option for particularly lengthy treatments, such as oral surgery. IV sedation provides the deepest level of relaxation, and the effects last for hours afterward.
Who Should Choose Sedation?
If you suffer from dental anxiety or you are scheduled for a long, complex procedure, sedation may be the best way to keep you relaxed and comfortable. Don’t let anxiety prevent you from getting the dental care you need, and don’t force yourself to endure a long procedure when we can make the entire experience more comfortable. Ask us about sedation.
Call us for more information and to schedule an appointment at our office located in Austin, TX. We look forward to hearing from you.
