Very few people look forward to a visit to the dentist. For some, though, it’s more than just something they would prefer to put off, and it becomes a total phobia. At the end of the day, dental hygiene is an essential part of your overall health and well-being, so putting off a dental check-up until you’re in intense pain and have no option is not the best way to protect your teeth. Fortunately, there are solutions for those who are truly terrified at the mere sound of a dental drill. Mild sedation can make an enormous difference and can make a trip to the dentist something that you can be completely calm about.
When would you need sedation?
The amount of sedation would depend on the level of fear that you experience. If you’re simply having your teeth cleaned, you might need only mild sedation. If, for example, you need a complicated procedure, such as root canal, it would be necessary for a higher level of sedation. These sedation methods are very different from a general anesthetic, and are completely safe. In fact, although it will feel as though you’ve been asleep and will often not have any recollection of a procedure, you will usually have been ‘awake’ throughout the process.
The type of sedation available
Again, the type of sedation given to you would depend on your need, as well as the invasiveness of the procedure you needed. Sometimes mild sedation is sufficient, and this simply serves to help you relax. If you have slightly more sedation you’ll remember little of the procedure, or will be almost unconscious but able to be wakened. None of these forms of sedation will cause you to be unconscious.
You have most likely heard of ‘laughing gas’ which is actually the use of nitrous oxide. If your dentist in Chicago uses nitrous oxide, you can rest assured this this is for minimal sedation. The gas simply helps you to feel calm, and is administered through a mask that’s placed over your nose. The effect of nitrous oxide wears off very quickly. The dentists at Sweet Tooth Dentistry can offer you this sedation to ensure that your visit to their offices helps you to relax in the knowledge that you’re in professional hands. Check our reviews on yelp.
