We know that for some patients, including those with special needs or dental anxiety, the idea of undergoing even minor dental treatments could be difficult. But we don’t want you or your family to avoid necessary dental care. In today’s blog, your Katy, TX, dentist talks about how sedation helps patients of all ages feel calm.
Who Benefits From Sedation?
Our team offers treatment to help people of all ages enter a calm and relaxed state when they’re faced with a dental emergency or undergoing extensive treatments. But we also provide this option for people with dental anxiety, as their fears could stand between them and even minor preventive care. Likewise, people with special needs could benefit from a calming agent as well. The option we prescribe will depend on a number of different factors, including age, weight, medical history, anxiety levels, and more. We want to ensure you and your family feel calm and relaxed when undergoing treatment!
Three Possible Solutions
The mildest form is nitrous oxide, and is commonly referred to as laughing gas. We administer this through a mask over your nose. Patients inhale a gas and exhale through the mouth. The effects are immediate, and people enter a calm state with little to no memory of the procedure, but they remain conscious the entire time. The effects wear off quickly too, so people can often drive themselves home or return to work or school.
For a deeper state of calm, our team could offer oral sedation in the form of a pill or liquid taken prior to the procedure. Patients are conscious and able to respond, but will have little memory of the procedure. This is often a great choice if a patient has serious dental anxiety. The effects take time to wear off completely, so you need someone on hand to bring you home afterward. We may recommend avoiding food or drink in the hours before the procedure begins.
The deepest state of calm is provided through IV, and is often prescribed for those with special needs. A trained anesthesiologist will be present to monitor the patient, and again a friend or family member will need to be there to bring you home afterward.
If you have any questions about our dental sedation options, or if you would like to schedule a visit for you or a member of your family, then contact our team today to learn more!
Your Katy, TX, Dentist Provides Calming Solutions
Our team can help patients with special needs or high anxiety levels. For more information on the process of keeping patients calm and comfortable, then call Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX at 832-437-3849 to schedule a visit.
