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Sedation dentistry allows dental patients to experience dental procedures without anxiety or discomfort. Anxiety prevents patients from seeking necessary dental treatment, but sedation dentistry is a way to provide a safe, relaxing dental experience.

Who Can Benefit From Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is the use of anesthesia during dental treatments. Patients undergoing extensive procedures or those with a strong gag reflex can benefit from sedation dentistry. It can also help patients who suffer from dental anxiety.

Types of Sedation In Dentistry

Depending on the patient’s level of anxiety, either in the dentist’s chair or at the dentist’s office, a dentist may recommend sedation dentistry. There are several types of sedation used in dentistry:

• Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas

This is the most common type of sedation. Your dentist will give you a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, through a mask. This induces a state of relaxation in which patients feel mildly euphoric. The effects of nitrous oxide wear off quickly; many patients are able to drive themselves home after undergoing procedures with nitrous oxide.

• Oral sedation

This sedation is administered as medication. Your dentist will give you a prescription for an oral sedative, which you will typically take one hour before the dental procedure. Oral sedatives can cause drowsiness, and patients should not drive or operate heavy machinery after taking them.

• IV sedation

IV sedation is administered as a medication through an IV. This form of sedation is preferred for procedures that will take several hours. IV sedation will cause amnesia, so patients will not remember any procedure that they underwent with IV sedation.

• General anesthesia

This is the deepest form of sedation. Patients under general anesthesia are completely unconscious during their procedure. General anesthesia is administered through an IV, and patients should arrange for someone to drive them home after undergoing any procedure with general anesthesia.

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?

Sedation dental is very safe. Patients are monitored at all times, and their needs are carefully met. You are not put under full sedation but are given just enough to help you overcome your fear of the dentist.

How Do I Prepare for Sedation Dentistry?

Before you receive sedation dentistry, your sedation dentist will talk to you about any medications you are taking, including prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. In some cases, you may need to stop taking some medications, such as blood thinners. Your dentist will also ask you about your medical history and any allergies you have.

Our team at Peak City Family Dentistry can offer you the best dental care in Apex, North Carolina. To schedule an appointment, call (919) 362-8797 or visit us at 200 W. Chatham St., Apex, NC 27502.