Most Monrovia patients aren’t excited to go to the dentist. Whether they’ve had a bad experience in the past, or the thought of getting a filling or a root canal just makes them plain anxious, many people are nervous about sitting in the dentist’s chair. For these reasons, sedation dentistry was created. Sedation dentistry uses one of a variety of sedation options to keep patients calm and relaxed during their dental procedures. Read on for a discussion of sedation dentistry, find out what sedation options we offer in our Monrovia office, and you can decide whether or not sedation dentistry is right for you.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation Dentistry was created to help make anxious dental patients more calm and relaxed during their dental procedures. Sedation dentistry uses medication to calm patients. Sedation dentistry ranges from being calmed by nitrous oxide (also known as “laughing gas”) to being completely unconscious under general anesthesia.
What Sedation Dentistry Types Does Monrovia Dentist Dr. Q Recommend?
Monrovia dentist Dr. Q is well educated in all forms of sedation dentistry. After weighing the pros and cons of each sedation option, Dr. Q has decided to offer nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) and oral sedation to qualified patients. Below is an explanation of each sedation dentistry types that Dr. Q offers:
- Nitrous oxide. This mild sedative is breathed in through a mask on the nose and causes patients to relax and sometimes laugh. It is short acting, and the effects typically wear off after a few minutes of removing the mask. Nitrous oxide is the only type of sedation dentistry in which you will be able to drive yourself home after your dentist appointment.
- Oral sedation. This pill is taken an hour before the dental procedure. The Monrovia patient will still be awake for the dental procedure and will be able to respond to questions, but the sedative makes patients calm and relaxed throughout the process. Oral sedation patients must arrange for a friend or family member to drive them home after their procedure.
How Do I Know if Sedation Dentistry is Right For Me?
If you are interested in sedation dentistry for your next major dental procedure, have a discussion with Dr. Q at your next appointment. During this initial consultation, your medical history, medications taken and any other relevant conditions will be discussed. Dr. Q will also discuss the sedation dentistry process with you because she wants all of her patients to be well informed about sedation dentistry before choosing nitrous oxide or oral sedation. Generally, healthy patients are safe to undergo sedation dentistry, though patients with sleep apnea and obesity may face greater risks. If you are possibly someone who falls into one of these risk categories, Dr. Q will discuss the possible risks and side effects of sedation dentistry.
If you believe you have a dental condition that requires assistance, call Dr. Q at her Monrovia office today at (626) 599-9818. And remember, you don’t have to feel anxious in the dental chair ever again.
