By some estimates, up to one in five Americans may let their dental fears stop them from getting regular checkups at the dentist’s office. And though most Americans put their fears aside to get the dental care they need, other estimates put the number of U.S. adults reluctant to visit the dentist at about three out of four.
While you’ll still have to muster up the courage to follow through on a dental appointment, sedation dentistry can help you leave your worries at the door. Take a look at how varying degrees of sedation can help your mind stop racing and relax next time you’re in the dentist’s chair.
Mild Sedation
It’s a fairly popular misconception that sedation dentistry will put you to sleep. But in most options and applications of sedation dentistry in Hixson, TN, you’ll find that the goal isn’t to get the patient to sleep through the procedure. The goal is to make the person more comfortable, more relaxed.
With mild sedation, your dentist may give you a topical sedative meant to remove even the slightest discomfort from the area of the mouth where you’ll have work done.
Moderate Sedation
If your fears are bigger than mild discomfort, your dentist may offer you moderate sedation options that include nitrous oxide, “laughing gas,” or IV sedation – a sedative administered intravenously, through the veins.
This level of sedation may make you sleepy, but the primary goal is to suppress the consciousness enough to keep you calm. You’ll still be awake, most likely, though your response times may be slowed.
Before you know it, your sedative will begin to wear off and your dentist will inform you that the procedure is over. And after seeing that the procedure wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as you might have imagined, it’s easier to forgo a sedative on your next visit.
Your Options for Sedation Dentistry in Hixson, TN
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