Dental Anxiety Treatment: How Sedation Can Help
Many people have a fear about going to the dentist. Sometimes this fear can be extreme, resulting an aversion to any kind of dental visits, even just a routine cleaning and checkup. We always strive to provide positive experiences to patients at our Fountain Valley, CA dental practice. That is why we use a number of techniques to minimize and treat dental anxiety.
One option we have for alleviating these worries is the use of sedation dentistry. Let’s consider why dental anxiety happens and how sedation dentistry techniques can be used to treat these problems.
What Causes Dental Anxiety?
For many people, the roots of anxiety go back to negative childhood experiences. If you were young and had a painful or frightening dental visit, it may leave a mark on your memory. The mere idea of visiting the dentist could become the source of major worry.
Problems Associated with Dental Anxiety
If you view dentists in a negative light, this could lead to you skipping dental visits. Many people avoid the dentist because of their anxiety about dental visits. Some sources estimate that up to 15 percent of the US population avoid the dentist precisely because of their dental anxiety.
Thankfully there are some options for treating this major problem.
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry refers to the use of a safe sedative to help patients achieve a state of relaxation. Patients will not be totally unconscious when they undergo sedation dentistry. Rather, the patient will be in a fully relaxed state, responsive to the dentist but free from fear and nervousness during treatment.
How Does Sedation Dentistry Work?
Our practice offers simple and effective oral conscious sedation. This process involves a patient taking an oral sedative (usually a pill) before they come to the practice for their visit. A loved one brings the patient to the practice, and by the time the patient arrives, the sedative will have taken effect. That means the patient is in a calm and relaxed state for their visit.
Once the visit is over, the loved one brings the patient back home. It’s as easy as that.
The Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
Oral conscious sedation has a number of benefits to consider. For one, the sedation helps patients get the much-needed dental care they need rather than delaying another visit. This can be crucial for reverting tooth decay and gum disease from getting worse.
Oral conscious sedation means patients do not have to worry about needles during a dental visit. This is one less potential source of worry for patients when they are at the practice.
A Focus on Patient Wellness and Comfort
In addition to offering sedation dentistry, the team at our practice will foster a welcoming, positive environment that patients feel secure in. Having this kind go atmosphere can go a long way to relieving bouts of anxiety and a general sense of unease. We will build trust with our patients so they have nothing to worry about.
Learn More About Sedation Dentistry
If you would like more information about sedation dentistry and how it can help you have a smile that’s healthy and beautiful without enduring dental anxiety, be sure to contact an experienced cosmetic and restorative dentist. Andrew G. Mortensen D.D.S. and his team is here to help you.