Sedation options for nervous patients

If the thought of being in the dentist chair fills you with anxiety, don’t worry. At DS Dental, we encounter a lot of people who are nervous about dentistry. Perhaps they’ve had a bad experience, or maybe a parent who passed along their own anxieties. Many have told us that their fears haven’t been taken seriously in the past.

We take them seriously.

We do everything we can to make your experience comfortable and relaxed. If you need sedation dentistry to be comfortable, we’re happy to provide it. It’s a good way to reduce anxiety, and it allows us do more in each visit so fewer overall visits are needed with sleep dentistry

Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): This reduces anxiety and relaxes you. You’ll still be aware of what’s going on – you just won’t be as concerned about it.

Nitrous + anti-anxiety meds: This combo is effective for more moderate anxiety. You’ll be awake but completely relaxed throughout the procedure, though you may not remember it afterwards.

Intravenous sedation: Often used for wisdom teeth or complicated extractions, this “twilight sleep” sedation is also useful for patients with moderate to severe anxiety. You’ll need someone to drive you home afterwards, and you will likely have trouble remembering the procedure.

General anesthesia: We use this for people with severe anxiety, with a significant gag reflex, and for children who need to have extensive work done. You will need someone to drive you home after your procedure.

Children’s sedation options: For children with extreme anxiety or those who need extensive dental work, our sleep dentistry offers a variety of sedation options that will take the stress out of the experience.