Your dental health is important, but so is your comfort. That’s why Pacific Dental Aesthetics practices sedation dentistry with patients who need help relaxing during treatment. When you visit our Hawthorne, CA, dental office, you can rest assured that we will do all we can to keep you comfortable throughout your appointment.
We are trained in administering sedation options that range from basic nitrous oxide to IV sedation. Let us know during scheduling or at any time during your appointment if you feel any discomfort or anxiety.
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Dental anxiety is a common occurrence, and sedation dentistry provides a solution to the nerves that many of our patients feel. Sedation dentistry involves administering medication to patients to keep them feeling at ease throughout their appointment. Whether your anxiety is mild or severe, we have a sedation option that can allow you to get the dental care that you need.
The Benefits Of Sedation Dentistry
- Keeps patient comfort as a focus of the procedure
- Calms patient anxieties
- Reduces gag reflex
- Allows our team to complete procedures that might otherwise take multiple appointments
Who Should Consider Dental Sedation?
Any patient who deals with dental anxiety or phobia should consider our sedation options. We never want you to put off getting the care you need because you’re worried or feeling nervous. If you have questions or want to know if sedation dentistry is right for you, call our office. We will talk you through your options and schedule a consultation if necessary.
Dental Sedation Options
No matter your level of dental anxiety, we can help with our dental sedation options.
- Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is a great option for patients with mild to moderate dental anxiety. This sweet-smelling gas is administered through a mask over the nose. With just a few deep breaths, patients begin to feel calm. We continue to administer the gas throughout the procedure, ensuring that you stay in a relaxed state but are still able to answer questions and follow instructions. Once the procedure is over, we remove the mask, allowing patients to return to normal with just a few minutes of normal breathing. Nitrous oxide is often enough sedation for most of our patients.
- Oral Sedation
With this option, we prescribe you a single pill to take prior to your appointment. By the time you’re in the dental chair, you’ll be feeling at ease. This method of sedation is also known as “sleep dentistry” because you may feel calm enough to drift in and out of sleep. But like with nitrous oxide, you’ll be awake enough to follow the instructions of your dental team. This sedation option requires that you have someone drive you to and from your appointment.
- IV Sedation
More invasive treatments may require heavier IV sedation. With this option, sedation medication is administered through an IV line, and a trained team monitors vitals throughout the procedure. This is an option best used with treatments that require hours in the dental chair, so our team is able to complete more of the procedure in a single sitting. Expect to feel very groggy once the sedation wears off, and make sure to have someone to drive you home afterward.
Overcome Dental Fears With Sedation Dentistry
Dental anxiety shouldn’t keep you from getting the winning smile you deserve. Our office itself is a warm, welcoming environment, and we also pride ourselves on offering different dental sedation options to meet our patients’ needs. Want to learn more? Contact us today.
