Sedation Dentistry: Oral Sedation

Dental phobia is recognized by the World Health Organization as a real disease and is believed to affect 15-20% of the population. For people who have this disease, going to the dentist can be a nightmare. Why do they fear the dentist? Take a look at those dental instruments. Anesthetic needles, noisy drills, ultrasonic scalers… Too often, friends and family do not take your dental phobia seriously!

For some, the fear is so great that patients will postpone necessary dental care and take self-prescribed pain medications in order to deal with their dental pain. The result is the progressive worsening of their dental condition, broken teeth, infections, unsightly staining and decay, inability to chew, etc.

Patients who have a severe fear of the dentist can receive oral sedation to help remove any anxiety they may have about their appointment. The level of sedation is individually adjusted to achieve the balance you need to be comfortable in the chair and keep you safe.

  • What is conscious oral sedation?

    Conscious sedation is used in addition to local anesthetic to assure you have little to no psychological or physical discomfort and it involves taking a prescribed pill to help you relax. During your appointment, you are fully aware of what is happening, however you may feel sleepy or drowsy. For this reason, you cannot drive after conscious sedation, so you must arrange transportation to and from the office on the day of your treatment.

  • When is oral sedation available?

    Oral sedation is always available when you express discomfort or extreme fear from the dentist or anticipation of dental procedures. Dr. Trombetta will ask you some questions to evaluate how you are feeling and if your answers indicate a dental phobia, she will offer you conscious oral sedation as a treatment option.

    A calm and relaxed patient typically cooperates and collaborates better with the dentist. If you are anxious and need to relax in order to have your teeth cleaned or when an invasive dental procedure is necessary, conscious sedation can help. In addition to dental anxiety, other reasons for oral sedation include:

    • patients who have delayed dental treatment out of extreme fear
    • patients with low pain tolerance
    • patients who have extremely sensitive teeth
    • patients with a severe gag reflex
    • patients who need extensive dental work and long appointments

With conscious oral sedation you will be able to tolerate dental sessions without fear, recover your health and smile, regain your self-confidence, and escape dental phobia.

Contact Marana Dental Care in Marana, Arizona today to schedule a consultation and learn how you can avoid fear and anxiety in our dental office.

Resources

  • https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/sedation-dentistry-can-you-really-relax-in-the-dentists-chair
  • Fiorillo L. Conscious Sedation in Dentistry. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 Dec 7;55(12):778. doi: 10.3390/medicina55120778. PMID: 31817931; PMCID: PMC6956248.
  • De Stefano R. Psychological Factors in Dental Patient Care: Odontophobia. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 Oct 8;55(10):678. doi: 10.3390/medicina55100678. PMID: 31597328; PMCID: PMC6843210.
  • Armfield JM, Heaton LJ. Management of fear and anxiety in the dental clinic: a review. Aust Dent J. 2013 Dec;58(4):390-407; quiz 531. doi: 10.1111/adj.12118. PMID: 24320894.