Anxiety and apprehension are common emotions experienced by millions of dental patients each year. The sights, sounds, and smells of the dental office can be overwhelming and unfamiliar, and the anticipation of pain keeps many patients from receiving routine dental care.
Fortunately, there have been a number of advancements in all aspects of the dental field, including sedation dentistry, enabling many patients to put their dental phobias to rest. With your sedation dentist, even your fear of needles can be alleviated with a wide range of injection-free anesthetic options.
For non-invasive dental procedures, topical anesthetics such as gels and mouth rinses may be used to numb the surface of the soft tissues without the use of an injection.
For patients who are nervous or apprehensive prior to the dental visit, Valium may be prescribed to eliminate the pre-treatment jitters. In the dental office, valium or other anti-anxiety medications may be administered in order to keep you comfortable in the dental chair. These medications may be combined with commonly prescribed pain relievers if necessary.
Orally administered medications or inhalation sedation (such as laughing gas) can be used to lull you into a deep state of relaxation while still enabling you to respond to verbal commands. You will also retain your ability to breathe and swallow on your own while under the influence of these sedatives.
Without requiring needles or injections, these alternatives are known as conscious sedation and are widely accepted for patients of all ages. The medications are safe and have very few side effects.
Should you select these conscious sedation options, you can expect to experience drowsiness or sleepiness and you will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult driver. This safety measure is required in order to ensure that you arrive to your appointment and back home safely.
For more extensive dental procedures, a deeper form of sedation may be required. The medications used for general sedation are typically administered intravenously, and may also be combined with other anti-anxiety medications for your comfort.
Learn more about your injection-free options by contacting Plano Smile Studio at 972-398-2550 for an appointment today.
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