Do you put off going to the dentist’s office despite having a horrible toothache because sitting on the chair gives you the jitters? Well, you are not alone. Thousands of people refuse to go to their dentist because they have a phobia of medical facilities. Fortunately, there’s a solution to that—sedation dentistry. In this blog, we will give you the lowdown on what it is and how it works.

Sedation Dentistry - What Is It?

As the name suggests, sedation dentistry is the use of medication to keep you calm during a dental procedure. Basically, the medication keeps you awake throughout the whole process but keeps you calm. There are four levels of sedation: minimal, moderate, deep, and general anesthetic. 

Who Needs Sedation During a Dental Procedure?

Sedation is not a necessity for every procedure or every individual. Let’s take a look at when sedation is needed.

• You have a low tolerance for pain.
• You have sensitive teeth.
• You have a bad gag reflex.
• You can’t sit on the dentist’s chair.
• You need to get a lot of dental work done.

What Are the Types of Sedation Used?

Now let’s take a look at the different types of sedation techniques used in sedation dentistry.

• IV-based sedation: This is where you are sedated via an IV drip through your vein. The dentist will have a handle on how sedated you need to be for the procedure.
• Oral sedation: This is where you are given a pill to induce mild to moderate sedation. Typically, you are given Halcion, a drug belonging to the same family as Valium. 
• Nitrous Oxide: In this case, you will be given nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas, along with a mixture of oxygen. This is administered via a mask over your nose. When you are getting a dental treatment procedure at Bay Smile Design but get hit with pangs of anxiety, the dentist will give you a sedation agent before commencing with the process.

Dentists at Bay Smile Design are well aware of the anxiety a visit to the dentist’s office can cause. Hence, they use a calming agent to keep you relaxed throughout your procedure. So, book an appointment with us by calling us at (408) 830-0123 and let us ease your worries away and give you a permanent fix for your pain.