The vast majority of dentists care very much about patient comfort. Yet, despite this an intense fear of going to the dentist or severe anxiety surrounding treatment is all too common. For many people even the mere idea of going to the dentist for a routine checkup is enough to fill them with dread. This anxiety can easily cause people to cancel or miss dental appointments, and in turn could lead to an overall decline in oral health. Fortunately, there is an effective way of treating patient anxiety: sedation dentistry.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry involves the use of pharmacological sedatives to help calm patients. The drugs work by dampening the central nervous system, particularly the areas responsible for conscious awareness. This results in a greater sense of calm for patients, and some patients may not remember the procedure at all – an effect that those suffering from dental-related anxiety are usually quite happy to experience!
The sedatives themselves can be administered to patients in a range of different ways including the swallowing of pills, the inhaling of gases, or submucosal administration. The level of relaxation achieved through sedation dentistry can be adjusted to fit the needs of the patient, procedure, and general situation.
The Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
- Greatly reduces anxiety
- Reduced or limited memory of procedure
- No negative impact to procedure
- May even improve outcome of procedure
Perhaps the best effect of sedation dentistry is that it can help patients who would otherwise be highly uncomfortable or completely unwilling go through with an important, much needed dental procedure. Thus sedation dentistry helps ensure that all patients receive the dental care that they need for optimum oral health.
Weaver-Jaynes DDS’ Sedation Dentistry Services
Weaver-Jaynes DDS is highly experienced in performing sedation dentistry. Our patients’ comfort, satisfaction, and well being are our top priorities. Patients can literally rest easy in the knowledge that our sedation dentistry services are completely safe and very effective.