Sedation dentistry comes in a variety of options. When most people think about sedation, they assume they’ll be “knocked out” for the duration of the appointment. But that’s usually not what’s actually happening. Sedation can be as mild as laughing gas or a deeper conscious medication that — although you’re awake — causes you to forget everything about the appointment.
If you’re on the fence about requesting sedation, here are five reasons to give it a go:
- You Have a Longer or More Complex Treatment Need
One of the advantages of sedation is that you can combine multiple phases of treatment into fewer appointments. That way you can catch up on several procedures during one sitting, without compromising your comfort. And if you need a more complex type of service — say a surgical extraction or several dental implants placed — you can easily rest through the longer appointment. Most people say that it goes by far more quickly than they expected.
- Going to the Dentist Isn’t Your Favorite Thing to Do
Dental phobia and anxiety impact around 1 in 3 people. That anxiety level is different for everyone. Some individuals feel a little nervous when a dentist is working in their mouth. Others experience extreme anxiety or even have panic attacks at the idea of seeing the dentist.
Even if you love our Mesa dentist but feel a little bothered by having to get treatment, sedation is a wonderful add-on for your next appointment. You don’t necessarily have to be scared or highly anxious in order to request sedation. Plenty of people without dental phobia still enjoy the benefits of what sedation has to offer.
- You Would Put Your Treatment Off Otherwise
If dental sedation weren’t available, would you schedule the treatment? Delaying dental care usually leads to more complex needs (and higher treatment costs.) Investing in sedation allows you to go ahead and treat those concerns early, before they evolve into a more aggressive condition.
“How long is too long” you ask? More than a few weeks, depending on what the issue is. Some dental infections need to be seen to right away, while others can potentially wait a couple of months. But if you’re thinking “I’m just going to wait, because my tooth doesn’t hurt anyway”, getting sedation may make it easier for you to feel comfortable moving forward with treatment.
- The Idea of “Tuning Everything Out” Appeals to You
Depending on the level of dental sedation you choose, you may feel like you’re daydreaming or taking a light nap. Some medications also act like an amnesiac, making it so that you don’t really remember much of the appointment at all. So even though you’re not technically “out”, you’re still tuning everything out around you. Some people also like to listen to music during lighter sedation visits (such as nitrous oxide) to make it easier to take their mind off of what’s going on in the background.
Lighter sedatives like nitrous oxide feel as if you’ve had a couple of glasses of wine. They also wear off quickly. Deeper sedatives can have an after-effect where the drugs require a few hours to completely wear off. In that case, you’ll also need a trusted friend or family member to drive you home from your appointment.
- You’ve Had Bad Experiences in the Past
Maybe you have a hypersensitive gag reflex. Or perhaps your childhood dentist wasn’t all that gentle. If you’ve ever had dental work completed without an attentive dentist (or proper anesthetic) then it can theoretically turn you off from the dentist for the rest of your life.
In turn, those bad experiences lead to avoiding the dentist altogether. Meaning that small issues become big ones. Minimal costs become expensive. And zero symptoms can evolve into a painful emergency.
Instead, the better option is to go ahead and schedule your routine procedure under sedation. Not only will you feel more comfortable, but it can change your outlook on dental care for years to come.
Sedation Dentist in Mesa
Dr. Vinh Huynh offers in-house sedation dentistry upon request. So, when you’re nervous about seeing a dentist or you just prefer to relax as best as possible, you have great options to choose from. Schedule a consultation at Eastport Dental to find out which type of sedation dentistry is right for you and if you qualify (be sure to bring a list of any medications that you’re taking.)
Call our Mesa sedation dentist today to get started.
