Taking proper care of your teeth is essential for maintaining optimal oral health, but brushing and flossing at home are only a small component of maintaining your healthiest smile. Regular dental cleanings and exams are also necessary, yet sometimes neglected when patients experience fear or anxiety related to dental care.
At Beavercreek Dental, we understand patients can experience fear or discomfort related to receiving dental care. That's why our Oregon City dentist offers dental sedation to help patients relax and comfortably receive the care they need.
Why Use Sedation Dentistry?
At Beavercreek Dental, we understand feeling scared or anxious can cause patients to avoid the dental treatment they need. Even skipping out on routine preventive cleanings and exams can have detrimental effects on your oral health. These basic exams allow us to help keep your teeth clean and healthy, and address trouble spots before they progress.
Because most dental issues will not resolve on their own, we use dental sedation to help our patients remain calm and comfortable during necessary dental procedures. Sedation dentistry can also prove useful if:
- You have trouble sitting still for long periods of time
- You experience a gag reflex
- Your teeth are extremely sensitive
- Your scheduled procedure is complex or lengthy
We offer the following sedation dentistry options:
Laughing Gas
Laughing gas is the lightest form of sedation we offer. With laughing gas sedation, patients remain conscious and able respond to questions or requests.
There is no prior preparation required. When you arrive at your appointment, a small mask is placed over your nose. A mixture of laughing gas and oxygen begins to flow, and takes effect within just a few minutes. When your procedure is finished, the laughing gas is shut off, leaving just the oxygen to flow for a few minutes, ensuring that sedation effects are completely gone.
Laughing gas wears off quickly, and you can even drive yourself home. Some patients may feel slight nausea with laughing gas, but this can usually be combatted with a light meal before your procedure.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral conscious sedation is a moderate dental sedative that involves the use of medication taken by mouth approximately one hour before your procedure. The sedative will usually take effect within 30 minutes — for this reason, it is important that you have someone drive you to and from your dental appointment.
Once the sedation takes effect, you will feel drowsy, but you will still be awake. Many of our patients experience temporary amnesia, where they cannot remember parts, or sometimes any, of their procedure.
IV Sedation
IV sedation is a moderate form of dental sedation that is delivered directly into your bloodstream through the use of a needle. When you arrive at our Oregon City dental office for your appointment, we will carefully administer the IV through your hand or your arm, then continue to monitor the levels of sedation administered throughout the appointment. The effects of IV sedation can last for several hours following your procedure.
Learn More About Sedation Dentistry with Beavercreek Dental
If fear or anxiety is keeping you from getting the treatment you need, whether it’s a preventive cleaning, a root canal, or anything else, safe sedation dentistry can help! Dr. Kim and his team offer sedation dentistry to provide calm, relaxing dental experiences for our patients, no matter their anxiety level.
For a dentist who puts your comfort first, call Beavercreek Dental!