You remember the feeling: You know the appointment is coming and it’s a dread in the back of your mind. You’ve even called to reschedule twice and you know you can’t put it off anymore.
It’s time to go to the dentist.
If this is you, you’re not alone. Research shows that almost 50% of Americans suffer from dental anxiety or extreme dental fear. At Portrait Dental, Dr. Minh Nguyen and the team offer a solution to this problem that may work for you: oral sedation.
Here’s how it works.
Oral sedation is exactly what it sounds like: taking a prescription medication by mouth that helps you relax and stay calm during your dental visit.
While some levels of sedation dentistry can put you to sleep, we offer conscious sedation.
This means while you’ll feel calm and relaxed, you’ll still be awake and able to answer questions and follow directions during your procedure.
Oral sedation provides several advantages to patients with dental anxiety.
The medication can help reduce any fear and anxiety you experience down to a manageable level.
If pain from a procedure is one of your primary concerns, oral sedation can help minimize any discomfort during your visit.
If you have a bad memory of a previous dental visit, the sedation can help control that traumatic memory. The relaxation caused by the medicine can help reduce any sensitive gag reflex you may have as well.
Oral sedation can also help you spend less overall time (and money) at the dentist office by making you comfortable enough to combine multiple visits into one longer session.
In addition, it can reduce the length of your appointment by cutting down on the nervous reactions, squirming, and fidgeting that cause procedures to take longer.
The practice of using oral sedation also benefits patients with sensory disorders like autism. The medicine makes it possible to sit through a dental visit they would otherwise find unbearable.
Depending on your individual case and health history, we may recommend any of several medications.
We offer sedative hypnotics, which make you calm and relaxed, and anti-anxiety medications, which help you feel happy and comfortable.
To find out more about how sedation dentistry might benefit you, set up a consultation at our office in Katy, Texas, by phone or by using our convenient online scheduler. Let us help make your next visit to the dentist a pleasurable experience.
