If the thought of receiving dental treatment causes feelings of anxiousness, we can offer sedation to help you get through your procedure. By making your visit as comfortable as possible, we hope to encourage you to take on active threats to your oral care. These techniques help you avoid delaying your treatment when you cannot muster the strength to sit in your dental chair.
At your Katy, TX, dental office, we understand that not everyone looks forward to visiting the dentist. By exploring all your options for treating anxiety, we look forward to making your next appointment more calming than before.
How Do I Select The Appropriate Level Of Sedation?
To better understand how to best treat your anxiety, we will perform a full review of your medical history when you visit our office. We take into account your age, weight, and other specific circumstances that affect your ability to attend dental treatment. We believe quality care should be made available to everyone, and that includes those with difficulties sitting through a procedure. That’s how sedation dentistry helps us ensure that your teeth and gums are as healthy as we can help make them.
Nitrous Oxide
We can provide sedation in the form of “laughing gas”, or nitrous oxide, which we provide through a mask you wear during your procedure. By simply breathing continuously through your nitrous mask, you enter a state of immediate relaxation while remaining completely awake. This level of sedation wears off quickly following cessation, so you can return directly to work or school and operate your vehicle.
Oral Sedation
For a deeper level of relaxation, we can recommend oral sedation in the form of a pill you take before your dental treatment. This method allows you to remain conscious, but the effects last longer than that of laughing gas. For this reason, we ask that you arrange transportation both to and from your visit. We ask that you avoid eating or drinking for around eight hours before your procedure.
Intravenous Sedation
For patients who receive the highest level of relaxation, we offer intravenous sedation. This service is vital for patients with extreme levels of anxiety or who are undergoing more advanced surgical treatments, like receiving a dental implant. You will have zero memory of the treatment itself and will remain in a deep state of tranquility throughout. Similar to oral sedation, this method takes time to exit your system, and we ask that you arrange transportation before and after your appointment.
If you think you would benefit from sedation dentistry, we invite you to contact our practice with any questions about these methods.
Talk To Your Katy, TX, Dentist About Receiving Dental Sedation
For more information on our calming treatment options, please call Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX at (832) 437-3849 to schedule a visit.
