If you feel uneasiness or dread when it’s time to have work done at the dentist, you are definitely not alone.
While technology has advanced so much that most dental treatments are virtually pain-free, some anxiety may be hard to overcome. The anticipation of pain, the sounds and smells that dental tools produce, and the close proximity of someone to your mouth, may still cause your heart to race and your palms to sweat.
You don’t have to “just deal with it”. Sleep dentistry offers different sedation options to make your experience a completely comfortable one.
Sleep Dentistry
Sleep dentistry or sedation dentistry utilises different forms of sedation to provide the level of relaxation each patient needs to smoothly and comfortably experience their treatments and procedures. This is a very safe technique, but because we have an unwavering commitment to our patients' safety, we always have a trained medical anaesthetist present to expertly monitor our the sedation process.
Our Sedation Options
We know no two patients are alike, so we offer different levels of sedation to fit each person’s needs and situation. One of our skilled dentists will review your case and the work that needs to be done. You’ll then discuss the best sedation option for you.
Nitrous Oxide
This is a great option for adults and children who have generalised anxiety about visiting the dentist for any and all reasons. To experience a more relaxing visit, patients will breathe in an odourless and tasteless gas through a mask before and during treatment. Also referred to as “happy gas”, this easy sedation option doesn’t leave any lingering effects after it quickly wears off.
Oral Sedation
This could be a good solution for a nervous child. You can choose for your child to take an oral sedative an hour or so before your treatment. They will be very relaxed and may even fall into a light sleep. We’ll assess the suitability of this based on their level of anxiety, general health and the treatment being performed
If you have a tremendous amount of anxiety and you’re having a lengthy or complicated treatment, this may be a great option for you. We always have an anaesthetist administering and monitoring sedation for our patients. It’s milder than full or general anaesthesia and often makes people feel as though they’ve just had a quick nap.
One of the features of this kind of sedation is having no memory of the treatment even though you’ll still be able to respond to voice commands and be cooperative with the dentist. This can help the dentist ensure fillings and other treatments fit properly and your bite alignment is right. Twilight can be a good option if you’re having more than one treatment done at a time. It eliminates pain, discomfort and stress from the appointment.
Recovery from sedation dentistry is not nearly as long as it would be under full anaesthesia, and you’re usually ready to go after about an hour. You’ll need to have someone drive you home and stay with you for the rest of the day, and maybe even overnight until the sedative completely wears off. Sedation dentistry could be a great solution for people who:
- Have dental anxiety
- Have a dental phobia
- Suffer from involuntary muscle spasms
- Have cognitive disabilities
Call for Your Initial Visit
If you’ve been putting off visiting the dentist because of anxiety, or are just dreading your next visit, talk to us about sleep dentistry. One of our dentists will go over your health history to determine if this is the right option for you. Contact us or make an appointment online. At the Centre for Aesthetic & Implant Dentistry, we look forward to making going to the dentist a great experience for you and the whole family.
