It’s easy to come up with a reason to not go to the dentist. We’ve heard them all! Of course, one of the biggest obstacles is anxiety and nerves. Whether someone is worried about pain or had an unpleasant experience in the past, sedation dentistry offers a safe and effective way to complete all types of procedures while giving you comfort and peace of mind. But if you’ve never had it before, you probably have a lot of questions. You’ll find answers to the most popular ones we receive below, but if you have more, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Will dental sedation put me to sleep?
Usually no! In the medical and dental world, what our office uses is known as “conscious sedation.” That means while a patient becomes deeply relaxed and drowsy, they remain awake and responsive. SOME patients end up nodding off in the chair, but this is a minority.
Is dental sedation just helpful for pain?
Sedation dentistry can actually solve a wide range of issues. It’s great for patients who have difficulty getting numb from anesthetic. It can help calm an overactive gag reflex. Don’t like the smells, sights, or sounds of a dental office? Sedation can help “turn down the volume” on any unpleasant sensations so your appointment flows by quickly and easily.
Will I tell the world my secrets after getting dental sedation?
You may have seen a few videos online of people saying all kinds of wacky things after getting sedation at the dentist. Fortunately, this does NOT happen the vast majority of the time. It’s an extremely rare reaction that doesn’t occur following mild to moderate sedation. While you’ll definitely feel the medication, you’ll still be in control, so you don’t have to worry about saying something you wouldn’t otherwise.
Will I need to take time off when getting dental sedation?
With nitrous oxide, most likely no. One of the biggest benefits of this approach is that its effects don’t linger after the appointment, meaning you can get straight back to work or school (including driving yourself).
But with oral conscious sedation or IV sedation, most patients are still feeling the effects once the procedure is over (plus their mouth is numb due to anesthetic). So we do recommend taking the rest of the day of your treatment off if you receive either of these methods. This will also give your mouth a head start on healing, which will shorten overall recovery time while making the process much more comfortable.
If you’ve avoided going to the dentist in the past, you don’t need to justify it to us. We just want to remove any barriers between you and the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve. Sedation dentistry can help us do this, so reach out today to learn how we can give you the most stress-free dental visit of your life.