There's so much dentistry can do these days to make your mouth healthier and your smile more beautiful. Yet many people don't take advantage of this because of a long-standing fear of dental treatment. If you are one of these people, rest assured that it's possible to have an experience that's free of anxiety and pain.
Pain-free dentistry can be accomplished by blocking your sensations of pain with local anesthetics or by giving you medication that can help you relax. Sometimes both are needed to ensure maximum comfort, especially if you are someone for whom the injections that deliver local anesthetics are themselves a major source of anxiety.
When you are afraid of dental treatment, your guard goes up and your pain threshold goes down; anticipating that something will hurt makes you hypersensitive to every sensation — even sound. If this describes your experience in the dental chair, then you might benefit from sedatives that can be given during your visit to make that anxiety melt away.
Relieve Dental Anxiety Through Sedation Dentistry
Most people whose anxiety would otherwise keep them out of the dental chair can benefit from sedation dentistry.
Before any particular sedative is recommended, you will be asked to provide your complete health history, including any medications you are currently taking — both prescription and over-the-counter. It is also important to know if you smoke or drink. On the day of your treatment, you may need to have someone drive you to and from your appointment as certain medications take time to wear off.
Oral Sedation — Oral sedation (given by mouth) is a popular option for many people precisely because it does not require the use of needles. Oral sedatives are either swallowed whole in pill form or can be dissolved under the tongue. Both methods work in a matter of minutes. A variety of oral sedative and anxiolytic (anxiety-dissolving) medications have been developed through extensive research and testing to make your experience of dental treatment as comfortable and relaxing as possible. All have long safety records after decades of use, and several even have amnesic properties, meaning you will remember little to nothing, even though you are conscious throughout the treatment.
Conscious Sedation — Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” has been used in dental offices for nearly 100 years and helps patients feel relaxed, relieve dental anxiety, and help make certain dental procedures easy and stress-free.
Nitrous Oxide is administered through a nasal hood, which resembles a small cup that is placed over your nose. The oxygen mixed with nitrous oxide provides a light-headed or even euphoric feeling, which is quick to wear off so there is no “hangover” effect. All bodily functions remain essentially normal during the use of this sedative, which is very safe.
As a form of conscious sedation, nitrous oxide is inhaled through a small mask that fits comfortably over your nose. The gas is mixed with oxygen as it is being delivered, and both gases are always kept at a level that is safe for the body. In just a few minutes, you may start to experience a floating sensation, and perhaps some tingling in the hands and feet. That's a sign that the sedation is working. Once it has been verified that you're calm and comfortable and that the dose is correct, your dental procedure can begin.
Nitrous oxide itself isn't a substitute for a local anesthetic — it's considered an anxiolytic, which means it makes anxiety disappear. For some procedures, you may still need an anesthetic injection. The difference is, you won't mind. Yet, you won't be asleep — you'll be able to speak, be aware of what's going on, and you will remain in control during the procedure. In fact, the dose can be fine-tuned to just the level of sedation you need.
When the procedure is over, the flow of nitrous oxide is decreased to zero, and the oxygen may be increased. After resting in the chair for a few minutes, you'll be able to sit up, and soon you can resume normal activities like driving. Although the experience has been compared to “having a couple of drinks,” there is very little “hangover” effect afterward.
Ask Us About Sedation Dentistry
Hamamoto Dentistry offers sedation options to make your dental experience as comfortable and as pain-free as possible.
Before beginning treatment, we will take a complete medical history, including your use of both prescription and non-prescription medications. If you are pregnant, have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) or some other pulmonary diseases, or are taking certain drugs, it may not be right for you. However, if you feel that you would benefit from a more stress-free experience in the dental office, ask about nitrous oxide conscious sedation.