5 Ways Sedation Dentistry Can Alleviate Dental Fear and Anxiety

Do you find yourself feeling nervous or anxious at the prospect of visiting the dentist? Do you avoid the dentist’s chair at all costs? If so, you may be one of the countless individuals suffering from dental anxiety or phobia. Often borne out of poor prior dental experiences, dental anxiety and dental phobia can prevent patients from seeking necessary dental care, potentially compromising their overall health and wellbeing.

For individuals living with dental phobia or anxiety, sedation dentistry is quickly becoming a popular option for overcoming fears. If you are thinking about incorporating dental sedation into your upcoming procedure, consider the following.

Sedation dentistry varies: There are several levels of dental sedation, ranging from mild to moderate to deep sedation. While undergoing these varying forms of sedation, patients remain conscious yet often don’t remember the details of their procedure, making it ideal for nervous patients.

Dental sedation is safe: This form of dentistry uses safe medications to encourage relaxation during procedures. As sedation treatment plans are developed based on the unique needs of each patient following an in-depth examination of their health history, patients only receive effective and safe treatments.

Sedation is Versatile: Given the varying levels of sedation available and the safety of the treatment, dental sedation can be applied to a variety or procedures, ranging from routine cleaning through extensive oral surgeries. This offers extremely anxious patients the opportunity to receive even basic dental care in a relaxed environment.

Minimal Lasting Effects: While it is recommended that patients enlist the assistance of a friend or family member to drive them home, the medication used in mild and moderate sedation wears off quickly, leaving minimal side effect. For patients undergoing deep sedation and general anesthesia, the medication is often reversed at the end of the procedure.

Pain-free Dental Care: Often, patients undergoing sedation dentistry also receive local anesthesia which numbs the area receiving treatment. This way, patients are able to remain conscious during their procedure yet feel little to no pain. In the long-run, this can help alleviate patient’s fears of pain during their procedure, allowing them to overcome their anxiety.

With two offices conveniently located in both Lorton and Springfield, Northern Virginia oral surgeon Dr. Snehal Patel is pleased to offer a number of dental sedation options for nervous and anxious patients. For more information about the advantages of sedation dentistry, contact our practice today.