Sedation Dentists Burlington – Why Sedation Dentistry

Dental treatment while you sleep may sound like a dream come true for many patients. Unfortunately, fear of the dentist can keep many patients from scheduling important checkups or seeking treatment when they have a dental problem. Dental anxiety can be caused by a previous personal bad experience, hearing about the fears of others, or anxiety over having someone in their personal space for a long period of time. Regardless of the reason, dental anxiety is a real problem for many patients.

This is why the dentists at Dentistry at LaSalle in Burlington offer their patients a solution to the dental fear problem with several forms of in-office sedation dentistry. While patients won’t actually be deeply asleep as they are with surgical procedures, they will be completely relaxed during dental treatment.

How does sedation dentistry work?

Sedation dentistry can be administered in the dentist’s office in several different ways. Each form of sedation has its own purpose and benefits.

• Nitrous oxide is used when a patient simply needs a little bit of help taking the anxiety edge off. With nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, the sedation is quickly turned on and off with no lingering side effects. Patients can drive themselves to and from the appointment.
• IV sedation is used for patients who have a deeper level of anxiety. This method of sedation allows the dentist to have complete control over the level of medication being administered. If an appointment runs long or if the patient becomes agitated during the appointment, the dentist can increase the amount of sedation. Under IV sedation, most patients will be so deeply relaxed that they won’t remember much of the appointment.

While the biggest benefit of sedation is that it allows patients to get the dental care they need, it can also help a patient learn to overcome their fears of the dentist. By replacing bad experiences with good ones, the patient can begin to see the dentist’s office as a comfortable place where he receives expert and gentle care. For more information about dental sedation, call Dentistry at LaSalle today at (905) 634-9090.