Sedation Dentistry: Is It Right For You?

Sedation dentistry is a method used to establish a clear and relaxed state of mind through the use of sedative oral medication. Sedation dentistry provides patients with an alternative to the traditional method of inhaled nitrous oxide and IVs. Most people find the “no needle” and no injection approach much more comforting. 

With oral sedation, the patient is still awake and is often able to move, speak and respond to verbal requests, but he or she will feel very relaxed and have low memory of the dental procedure. Sedation dentistry helps to take away your anxiety and alleviates any fears you once had or pain or discomfort of a past dental procedure. With sedation dentistry, the procedure may feel that it only lasted minutes, while it in fact may have taken hours.

Sedation dentistry is administered to individuals who have dental phobia, which prevents those individuals from receiving the essential dental care that compromises the health of their mouth, smile and overall oral health. If you’ve been avoiding the dentist for a long period of time and are aware you need extensive, sedation dentistry may be for you. Sedation dentistry is also beneficial for those who have had negative experiences in the past with dentists, have sensitive teeth, have sensitive gag reflexes, have a phobia of needles and for those who hold great anxiety about medical treatments for personal reasons.