Millions of people around the world experience anxiety when it comes to dental procedures. The thought of sitting in the dentist's chair alone is enough to make some people uneasy, whether they're anticipating pain, vulnerability, or simply the all-too-familiar discomfort it might entail.
For anyone who experiences dental anxiety, there is an option of side-stepping your worries altogether. Sedation dentistry offers an entirely pain-free experience that completely eliminates whatever discomfort you may have. With Dr. Linger, we like to extend these services to any of our patients to ensure maximum comfort while they're with us.
What Is Sedation Dentistry or What is Sleep Dentistry?
Generally speaking, the goal of sedation dentistry is to help the patient feel relaxed while undergoing treatment. This can be done in a number of ways to produce varying levels of sedation.
Sometimes a moderate sedation is all that's needed for a patient to feel relaxed enough while remaining fully conscious and aware of what's going on. Other times a patient might be sedated into a gentle sleep that's easy to wake from, and in some cases they may be made completely unconscious while their treatment lasts.
There are three common forms of sedation dentistry, all of which Dr. Linger can perform.
Oral Sedation:
Through the use of medications such as diazepam, this method allows you to relax while reducing your anxiety. You're fully conscious while it lasts, though you may feel a little sleepy.
Dr. Linger has the highest certification for North Carolina dentists providing oral sedatives. We carefully monitor every patient taking these medications to ensure their maximum comfort and security.
Nitrous Oxide:
Commonly referred to as laughing gas, this method produces both feelings of euphoria and relaxation. You probably won't be induced to laughter, but you'll more than likely experience a light airy sort of feeling. The gas is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through the nose from a mask.
The effects are short lived and will quickly fade once the mask is removed. This method is great for inducing relaxation and relieving anxiety during treatment.
IV Sedation:
Intravenous sedatives can be used to induce varying stages of consciousness. It's particularly effective for putting patients into a deep sleep, or in some cases what's sometimes referred to as "twilight sleep."
In this state, you're less aware of your surroundings and may feel sleepy, and you may also not remember much afterwards. Our office is one of the few with both the necessary experience and equipment to offer comprehensive IV sedation over a range of procedures.
If needed, almost any dental procedure can be done while undergoing this type of sedation.
Is Sedation Dentistry Right For Me?
If you're one of the millions of people who experience some anxiety or trepidation when it comes to dentistry, the answer is probably yes! The point of sedation dentistry is to make you feel safe and comfortable while undergoing treatments that are essential to your health.
As unfortunate as it is, there are many people who avoid or put off going to the dentist due to their worries of pain and discomfort. In Dr. Linger's office, we do our utmost to make the experience as comfortable as possible no matter what your concerns may be.
For some, dental treatments of any kind can induce fear. The sights, sounds, and smells of the dentist's office are sometimes enough to make people immediately uncomfortable. Sadly, others may have had past experiences with dentists that turned out unpleasant.
Whatever the case may be, sedation dentistry offers an opportunity to take care of your oral health while putting your mind at ease. Multiple procedures can be taken care of with one visit and you may leave remembering little of the experience at all.
The office of William Linger DDS, MAGD, has been one of the most trusted dental offices in Charlotte N.C. since the 1990's. We offer comprehensive dental care for the entire family and sedation dentistry for almost any procedure. Visit us here to learn more and take the next step towards getting the care you need without the fear!
