For some patients, visiting the dentist’s office can be anxiety-inducing. We want all of our dental patients to look forward to visiting our office so they can get the care they need. Our dental and office staff aim to create a warm and welcoming environment for every patient.
Because of this, Dr. Elizabeth Duling offers sedation dentistry in her Owens Cross Roads, AL office. Sedation dentistry is a general dental solution that allows patients to feel relaxed during their dental treatment. Patients who suffer from fear or anxiety can receive dental sedation for more routine treatments. We also use sedation dentistry for procedures like tooth extractions, root canals, etc.
Benefits of Dental Sedation
Sedation dentistry allows patients to get the care they need. Dental sedation:
- Offers painless treatment
- Allows dentists to provide faster care
- Requires fewer dental appointments
- Helps ease fear and anxiety
Please let us know if you or a loved one require dental sedation for your next appointment. We will work with you to find the best solution for your needs.
Types of Dental Sedation
We offer two types of dental sedation: oral and nitrous. Oral conscious sedation is taken in pill form before your appointment. Dr. Duling will give you the required dosage that you need. Oral conscious sedation allows patients to feel relaxed but conscious during their care. They may also feel drowsy and may not remember their appointment details.
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a mild sedative. This type of sedation keeps patients awake and aware while still calm and relaxed. The effects of laughing gas wear off as soon as the mask is removed, so patients who undergo this sedation can drive themselves to and from their appointment.
Who Can Dental Sedation Help?
Dental sedation is most commonly used to help patients with dental anxiety. Dental fear can range from a fear of certain machines or sounds to anxiety so debilitating that patients can’t even walk into our office. Sedation allows these patients to come in for their regular dental care appointments. Preventative care is essential to avoid more severe problems down the road.
When patients with anxiety have been avoiding care, they will need more invasive procedures. It’s harder for patients with dental fear to get normal procedures, let alone ones that are more invasive. Sedation allows them to get these procedures, too. It’s helpful to anyone getting multiple or long dental procedures in our office. Even if you don’t have dental fear, it’s hard to relax and not get restless when you’re in the dental chair for a long time.
Sedation benefits many other patients, too. Some have movement disorders or other medical conditions that make it hard to sit still. Involuntary movements makes it hard for a dentist to do their job, especially with some sharp tools and instruments. Sedation allows us to provide care without the risk of injury. Nitrous oxide also takes care of children, as they also struggle with sitting still.
Some patients have an excessive gag reflex or extremely sensitive teeth. Even routine dental procedures like x-rays and impressions difficult and uncomfortable. Sedation relaxes the gag reflex and your sensory perception so that you can get complete care. Sedation plays a big part in ensuring you have the most comfortable experience at our dentist office.
Lastly, sedation helps make our job easier, too. We can focus all of our attention on your dental care and ensuring everything goes smoothly. We don’t have to worry about trying to control your movements or having to take things slow because of the way your body is reacting. Sedation allows us to do our job quicker and more efficiently.
Sedation Dentistry FAQs
Sedation dentistry can benefit many different types of patients. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.
How long does it take sedation dentistry to wear off?
Since nitrous oxide is a gas, the effects will wear off almost immediately after removing the mask. Oral sedation, on the other hand, will take hours to wear off. Once your appointment ends, you will need a ride home since you will still be sedated. Depending on your dosage, the effects should wear off in about two to eight hours.
How will I feel during oral sedation?
Oral sedation will put you into a deep state of relaxation. You will not be asleep and can even respond to basic commands. Most people know what is happening but are not anxious about it. The greatest advantage of this form of sedation is patients do not remember much from the appointment, if anything at all.
Can I still feel pain during dental sedation?
Being in a sedated state will raise your threshold for pain. However, we will still use local anesthetic for your comfort. We will inject the numbing agent after you are sedated. This is helpful for patients who suffer from a fear of needles.
Will I be able to hear the dentist when I’m sedated?
Yes, you can hear the dentist and dental staff while under sedation. Our staff will communicate with you what is happening and you will be able to understand. However, you may be so relaxed that you do not respond. Once the sedation has worn off, you may remember having the conversations but not exactly what was said.
Schedule a Dental Appointment
Call our office for treatment if you or a loved one have dental fear or anxiety. Try dental sedation today. Request a consultation with Dr. Duling on our website. You can also call Dr. Duling’s Owens Cross Roads, AL dental office at 256.202.4186. Let us know if you have any further questions about dental sedation, and we will help.