Sedation Dentist Brenham
Making Dentistry Comfortable & Stress-Free
Adults and children can experience dental anxiety for many reasons. Whether caused by a bad experience at another dentist’s office, a fear of needles, or the inability to sit still because of a physical disability, the effects can be mild or so severe that missed or canceled appointments lead to worsening oral health. Our dentists at Smile Keepers want to create a calming and stress-free experience for every patient, which is why we offer three methods of sedation dentistry in Brenham. Call our office to find out if nitrous oxide or oral conscious or IV sedation is right for you.
Why Choose Smile Keepers for Sedation Dentistry?
- Three Methods of Dental Sedation Available
- Dentists Treat Patients of All Ages
- Same-Day Dental Emergency Appointments
Oral Conscious Dental Sedation
For patients who need a higher level of relaxation during their dental appointment, oral conscious sedation could be the answer. This sedative is delivered via pill form and creates a deeper feeling of calm than nitrous oxide. While most patients do remain awake during oral conscious sedation, it is not uncommon to peacefully drift off to sleep. Though you will feel relaxed, it will still be easy for your dentist to wake you to provide instructions or ask questions.
What is Oral Conscious Sedation?
Oral conscious sedation is sedation that uses a pill to create a feeling of deeper calm and relaxation. Your dentist will prescribe the sedative in advance, and you will be responsible for picking it up at the pharmacy and bringing it with you to your appointment. You will then take the sedative once you arrive at Smile Keepers. Typically, your dentist will prescribe Valium, Ativan, or Halcion. The effects are long-lasting, and the sedative should begin working within about 15 minutes.
With oral conscious sedation, there’s no need for a face mask or needles, making it an excellent option for patients who have nervousness, anxiety, fear, or a strong gag reflex.
How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work?
Because the effects of oral conscious sedation will linger throughout your entire appointment, it’s very important that you have a trusted friend or family member bring you to and from your appointment, as it will not be safe for you to drive. Many patients don’t even remember their appointment after the sedative wears off, which can be beneficial to some.
During your appointment, our team will continue to monitor your condition throughout your entire procedure and ensure that you are always safe. You will still be conscious, so you can still respond to instructions, but you should remain in a relaxed state throughout.
Are You a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?
Oral conscious sedation is great for patients who:
- Have dental fear, anxiety or nervousness.
- Regularly cancel or reschedule dental appointments out of fear of hearing bad news about their oral health.
- Are receiving multiple treatments or one longer treatment.
- Have problems keeping their mouth open or sitting in the treatment chair.
- Have had bad dental experiences in the past.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Nitrous oxide has been used for decades. If you’re wondering why you haven’t heard of it before, it’s likely because you’ve heard it referred to by its nickname: laughing gas. As the mildest form of dental sedation available, this calming solution helps relax any nerves you might experience when visiting our dental office. If you are interested in learning more about dental nitrous oxide in Brenham, feel free to give us a call or read on!
Who is a Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide?
As we mentioned above, nitrous oxide is one of the mildest forms of dental sedation available. As a result, it’s able to help patients of all ages! More specifically, it’s great for patients who:
- Struggle with mild to moderate dental-related anxiety
- Have a fear of needles
- Have a sensitive gag reflex
- Experience head/neck/jaw pain in the treatment chair
- Need extensive dental care, like multiple tooth extractions
Of course, there are some patients who aren’t candidates. For example, if you have asthma, you’re allergic, you’re pregnant, or you experience severe anxiety, then we will need to explore the other forms of dental sedation we offer.
How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?
The easy-to-administer mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is delivered through a nasal mask. Once you arrive at our office and settle comfortably into the treatment chair, we will place it over your nose. After a few minutes of breathing in the colorless, odorless gas, you’ll feel the effects set in. Patients often describe it as feeling light, euphoric, at-ease, and, of course, anxiety-free. Since you’ll be completely relaxed and comfortable, we can work more efficiently too! Before you know it, your appointment will be over.
Important reminder: Nitrous oxide does not put you to sleep. Instead, you’ll remain awake throughout your visit, making it easy to ask questions and respond to the cues we give you.
Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide
One of the great benefits of nitrous oxide is that its side effects do not linger. Instead, they fade quickly. As a result, you don’t have to take the rest of the day off work or arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment. Instead, we’ll give you aftercare instructions pertaining to the treatment you received, and then you can resume your daily activities without concern!
IV Sedation
If you require a complex procedure or display severe dental anxiety, we may need to provide a stronger solution that helps you feel as if you’re falling asleep. With IV sedation, you can expect to remember little or nothing at all from your appointment. The medication is administered through an IV that is placed in the back of your hand or the bend of your elbow. Throughout your appointment, we will closely watch your vitals and adjust the dosage if necessary. This approach allows us to take care of your oral health issues while allowing you to avoid the stress and anxiety you might associate with dentistry.