It's common to be afraid of the dentist, especially if you have to get major dental surgery done. That's why 20 percent of people visit the dentist only when they feel like something is wrong. Thankfully, there are sedation methods that will help get an anxious person through a surgery. With 3 different options available to you, it's important to understand what all of them are so you can pick the method that will work best for you.
Inhalation
Nitrous oxide, often called laughing gas, is a very common sedation method used at the dentist office. It keeps patients awake throughout their procedure, but helps them become very relaxed.
It works by placing a mask on that covers your face, allowing you to inhale the nitrous oxide so it can enter the bloodstream. It works quickly because the gas is fat soluble, so it has no problem moving into the cells in your body like brain synapse ends. The effects go away when the gas leaves the lungs, taking only a couple minutes to wear off.
Oral
Oral sedation methods include pills that help with relaxation. You take them while at home a couple hours prior to your appointment, and they will calm your nerves about the visit. You'll need somebody to drive you to the appointment since the effect of the pills can impair your driving.
Some common pill types include:
General Anesthesia
Complex procedures, like a root canal, often require a lot of time in the dentist chair. Chances are that you do not want to be aware of what is happening at all and will prefer to be put under general anesthesia so you are unconscious. General anesthesia should be avoided unless it is necessary due to your fears of the dentist, since the complications can be more serious, such as a heart attack or a stroke.
For more information, contact Ann L Ortega DDS or a similar dental professional.
Share30 November 2015
Hi, my name is Kevin Nelson and I want to tell you about my experience. I had a painful tooth so I went to see my dentist. After the examination, he said that I needed to have a root canal to save the tooth. I told the dentist to just pull the tooth instead and then he explained why that wasn't a good idea. He said that pulling the tooth would cause additional problems and then he told me what could happen. I didn't want any more problems, so the dentist did the root canal and I'm glad that he did. I wanted to write a blog to tell others about the benefits of a root canal and what to expect during the procedure. I hope that by getting the word out, other people won't make the same mistake that I almost did by getting a perfectly good tooth pulled.