Feeling a little nervous in the dentist’s chair is normal. For some people, however, going to the dentist is not only unpleasant but highly anxiety-inducing. If visiting the dentist causes you extreme anxiety, or you have been putting off receiving dental work due to anxiety, Wentworth Family Dental is pleased to offer Sedation Dentistry!
Your SW Calgary Choice for Sedation Dentistry!
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry uses sedatives during dental procedures in order to keep patients calm throughout the process. It is a safe and effective way to provide comfort, relaxation, and an amnesiac effect during any kind of dental treatment. For those with severe dental anxiety, sedation dentistry can make the difference between accessing dental care and avoiding it altogether. Sedation dentistry is ideal for patients who are anxious or nervous about their dental care, require a lot of dental work at one time, have difficulty becoming and/or staying frozen, have a severe gag reflex or are claustrophobic, need oral surgery, or have a low pain threshold.
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous Oxide, commonly referred to as laughing gas, is a commonly used sedative providing light sedation for anxious patients. Administered by breathing in a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen through the nose, it will not make you sleep, but rather will help you relax and remain in a comfortable state during dental treatment. You will start to feel the effects of the gas quite quickly; sometimes as soon as 30 seconds after you start breathing it in. Because it is a gas, it wears off quickly once you stop breathing it in. If it is the only sedative a patient receives, they are often able to drive themselves home after a procedure.
Oral sedation
Oral sedation provides light to moderate sedation for anxious patients. It is administered by taking one or two pills of a sedative medication before your procedure. The medication is strong enough to make patients feel sleepy and therefore more relaxed, which helps to alleviate stress or anxiety associated with undergoing dental treatment. Patients still remain conscious enough throughout the procedure to follow the dentist’s instructions.
