Dental offices are very familiar with patients having dental anxiety before and during an appointment. Some patients suffer from anxiety because they had a bad experience as a child or observed a friend of family member who had a bad experience. Others struggle because dental work puts people in a vulnerable position where they can’t see what’s happening and feel nervous about the hygienist or dentist approaching them with needles or other dental tools. With sedation dentistry Tomball TX patients will feel relaxed and may not even remember any of the work done.
How Sedation Dentistry Works
Many people think of general anesthesia when they picture sedation. However, this is not what happens during sedation dentistry. Tomball, TX dentists who practice sedation dentistry do not hook you up to an IV and knock you out with general anesthesia. Instead, you are given a pill to take an hour or so before your visit. When you arrive at the office, the hygienist may give you one or two more pills depending on how well the first pill is working to reduce your anxiety.
Once the pills start to take effect, your hygienist may ask you questions to see how you respond. This helps her determine how well sedated you are and when to start your dental work. The pills do not last too long, so don’t think that you’ll be out for hours after the dental work is over. Once you’re fully awake, you may not even remember any of the procedure. If you’ve never experienced sedation dentistry before, it’s a good idea to have someone available to drive you to and from your appointment.
Asking for Sedation Dentistry
While most patients are candidates for sedation dentistry, your dentist will ask for your medical background, including current medications, to insure that it’s safe for you to undergo this type of dentistry. Your health stats are continuously monitored during sedation dentistry. Tomball, TX dentists understand the importance of tracking blood pressure and heart rate during sedated dental work, so you can feel secure that you’re being offered the best care.
In some cases, patients who experience dentistry while sedated use it as a jumping off point to get more comfortable with dental work. There are many patients who graduate from using sedation dentistry to go without it for basic cleanings and checkups. However, it’s always an option if you just can’t seem to shake your dental anxiety.
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