When you have dental anxiety or just feel a little apprehensive about visiting the office, you may avoid the care that protects your smile from major complications. To help ensure a comfortable and relaxing visit, our team can offer sedation and OraVerse. In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about our approach to patient comfort.
When Patients Need a Calming Option
When do we recommend a calming medication for our patients? We could suggest this if they have dental anxiety, as their fear of the dentist could be a barrier between them and better oral health. We could recommend treatment if they have special needs or an overactive gag reflex that makes receiving care difficult. This is also helpful for more advanced treatments, such as dental implant placement or tooth extraction. We have a number of calming options available, and the one we choose will be based on factors like age, weight, medical history, anxiety levels, and any medications currently being taken.
Dental Sedation
While a local anesthetic can numb the specific area being treated, sedation can help you enter a deep state of calm, with little to no memory of the procedure even if you remain conscious. The most common option is nitrous oxide, given through a mask over the nose. You enter a state of calm, stay conscious, and the effects wear off right away when treatment ends. Oral sedation is deeper and administered with a pill or liquid, and the deepest option is IV sedation. With these, you will be a bit groggy and will need someone on hand to drive your home afterward.
OraVerse®
When you receive a local anesthetic, this numbs the area and combined with sedation, could help ensure a comfortable treatment experience even if you have dental anxiety. But the lingering numbness can make the rest of your day difficult, as this could remain for several hours afterward. But our team can offer OraVerse® to help you regain feeling in your smile much faster, so you avoid drooling, slurred speech, and discomfort. With this option, you can regain your feelings in as little as an hour. If you have any questions about how we keep you calm and relaxed during your time with us, or if you need to schedule a visit before the holidays get too hectic, then contact our team today. You can also use your 2024 dental benefits before they expire at the end of the month.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR CALMING TREATMENTS?
Our team wants to help you and your family enjoy a positive experience in the office. To find out more about our calming treatment options, you can call Dr. Browne in Prairie Village, KS, at 913-901-8585.
