Dental Anxiety

Do you put off making an appointment with your dentist? Do you make dental appointments - only to cancel them? If the answer is yes, you probably suffer from dental anxiety. There is a simple fix for dental anxiety - sedation dentistry.
Many people become anxious when they are faced with dental procedures. Dental professionals want their patients to be relaxed, not only for the patient's comfort - but because it is much easier to provide excellent dental care to a patient who is comfortable.

There are several reasons why people dread visits to the dentist. You may see the reason for your anxiety in these examples:
Aversion to needles
Sensitive teeth and gums
Lengthy appointments
Overactive gag reflex
Low pain tolerance
Needles
An aversion
You might get a sharp pain that feels like it goes deep into the roots of your teeth. This pain - or sensitivity may be caused by receding gums, a cracked tooth, exposed roots, or tooth decay. A painful mouth may make you afraid to see your dentist, but avoiding the inevitable is only going to make matters worse. If you opt for dental sedation, you can have these problems treated and your gums and teeth will no longer be
By breathing nitrous oxide (laughing gas), combined with oxygen, you will feel relaxed while your dental procedures are performed. This can be used for general anxiety control and during minor procedures if needed.

Oral (pill) sedation can be used for minimal or moderate sedation. This sedation comes in the form of a pill, taken about an hour before the procedure. Depending on the dosage, your sedation level will be minimal to moderate. You will feel drowsy (you may even go to sleep), but most often you will still be awake.
Moderate and deep sedation. Moderate sedation is used for complex procedures and as stated, can be provided by using oral medications - but more often obtained by using an IV. With this type of sedation, you will be given medications through a vein. IV sedation works quickly and can be monitored and adjusted, as the level of sedation needed during your procedure indicates. With IV sedation, your airway is not obstructed and you can be aroused easily when the medication is stopped.
General anesthesia. General anesthesia is most often reserved for complex procedures. This type of sedation is usually performed by oral or maxillofacial