A Guide to a Pain-Free Dental Appointment Part 1

Posted by Really Smile Feb 01, 2015

Does going to the dentist send a chill down your spine or making your heart start pounding? You could be one of the millions of Americans who have a fear of the dentist! It’s very common and definitely not something to be ashamed of.

Even so, you cannot let that fear of the dentist keep you from getting the care you need. With the benefits of sedation dentistry, we can help you have the most amazing dental experience of your life: completely free of pain and fear!

What is Sedation?

Sedation comes in many forms. You are probably most familiar with gaseous sedation, or nitrous oxide. You might also know it as laughing gas. We have been using this for decades to help patients stay calm during procedures, but sedation has advanced a lot over the years.

We are now able to offer a prescription dose of sedation before an appointment, I.V. sedation in the office, general anesthesia for extreme patient cases, and even a drug-free sedation option called NuCalm!

Who Benefits from Sedation?

We believe that every patient can benefit from sedation at some point. Even those patients who are not fearful can improve their dental experience with sedation. Let’s take a look at specific instances where sedation makes a BIG impact on the patient experience.

Those with a Gag Reflex

You know the feeling when something gets too close to the back of your throat and causes you to gag. It’s very unpleasant. Some people have a more sensitive gag reflex than others. Those with a sensitive reflex find going to the dentist extremely uncomfortable.

Sedation relaxes those muscles that cause the gagging, which allows this patient the opportunity to have a wonderful dental exam or procedure.

Those with Extreme Fear

If you are a patient who feels extreme fear when faced with a dental appointment, sedation is definitely for you! We can help you relax before you ever step into the office with a prescription sedative. Once you are here, you can sit back and have your work done. In most cases, you won’t even remember the appointment!

Those with Mental Conditions

Some patients really struggle at the dental office because they don’t really know where they are! Patients living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, severe autism, and mental handicaps struggle to get the dental care they need. Sedation can help this situation completely! We can help that patient relax, get the care they need, and never feel fear of the appointment!

Those who have a Busy Schedule

Sedation isn’t just about forgetting you had to come to the dentist. For patients who have very busy schedules, sedation allows us to give them the care they need in one single appointment. Complex procedures can be done quickly and efficiently if the patient is sedated and comfortable. We are able to complete a massive procedure in a few short hours, but the patient wakes up feeling refreshed from a short nap!

And YOU

YOU can benefit from sedation. You might not need a sedative to simply come into the office or to have a cleaning done, but there might come a time where you need a sedative to get complex work finished. Maybe you never realized sedation could help with your gag reflex.

Whatever it is, give us a call and find out if sedation is right for you. We are one of the only offices in the Indianapolis area to offer such an extensive list of sedation options!