Call Us (208) 888-2026Have you ever been nervous about going to the dentist? If so, you aren’t alone. Many adults in America experience some kind of dental anxiety, making dental appointments stressful and intimidating for patients.
Although there is no single underlying cause for dental anxiety, many patients experience the condition as a result of bad dental appointments in the past. Problems with pain, discomfort, or embarrassment can also make people want to avoid the dentist, which is why Millennium Family Dental focuses on the needs of each and every patient with sedation dentistry in Meridian, ID.
Dental Anxiety: A Common Condition
During your initial consultation, our dentists will talk with you about your level of dental anxiety. Symptoms of dental anxiety include:
- Nervousness.
- Nausea.
- Panic attacks.
- Lack of sleep before dental appointments.
Some patients also get anxiety about the dentist due to the fact that they feel like things are out of their control. To ease your anxiety, our professionals will take the time to have an in-depth discussion about your procedure before beginning.
If you struggle with dental anxiety, various forms of sedation dentistry are available to help you to get the dental care you need.
Types of Sedation Dentistry
Every patient is different, which is why some forms of sedation are right for some patients and wrong for others. In order to determine which type of sedation is right for you, our dentists will talk with you about your personal level of discomfort and your medical history.
Below are the different types of sedation dentistry available at Millennium Family Dental.
Laughing Gas Sedation
One of the most popular forms of sedation is laughing gas, which is inhaled during the appointment. After the gas is inhaled, it temporarily interferes with the pain receptors in your brain, offering some pain relief and making you feel relaxed.
Laughing gas offers light sedation, also called anxiolysis, and it completely dissipates from the body within five minutes after the gas stops flowing. This gas is gentle enough to be used for small children but effective enough that teens and adults who suffer from dental anxiety still request it.
Oral Sedation
If you require slightly deeper sedation, our dentists might recommend oral sedation, which is given by prescribing very small amounts of medication taken orally. These medications can be taken about an hour before the procedure to help you relax.
These medications do not offer pain relief, so anesthetic shots may still be required during the procedure. Oral sedatives are preferred by many dentists and patients because they allow dentists to communicate with patients during the procedure.
Intravenous (IV) Sedation
Some patients experience dental anxiety that is not relieved by other methods. To help relieve anxiety for these patients, we may prescribe intravenous sedation. During IV sedation, the medications bring patients into a state of deep relaxation and may make them feel a bit sleepy.
IV sedation is considered deep sedation, and dentists may work with nurse anesthetists to administer the medication.
No matter what your needs are, we want your dental visit to be as convenient and comfortable as possible, so schedule an appointment for your whole family at our office today!
General Anesthesia
For situations where patients need to be completely unconscious, dentists who hold hospital privileges may administer general anesthesia at a medical facility. During general anesthesia, patients are completely unaware of their surroundings and completely unconscious.
Complex procedures such as oral surgeries are typically performed under general anesthesia.
Planning Your Treatment
There is a reason that the dentists at Millennium Family Dental are known as some of the best dentists in Meridian ID. In addition to carefully evaluating your smile and offering high-tech solutions to your dental issues, our professionals are completely dedicated to patient safety and satisfaction.
Before any dental service is planned or sedation is recommended, our dentists will carefully evaluate your personal level of risk. Safety is our top concern, and a high level of risk could preclude you from various forms of sedation. However, most patients can receive sedation safely to prevent dental anxiety.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
If it has been a while since your last dental appointment, schedule a visit today with the dentists at Millennium Family Dental. In addition to maintaining a clean, welcoming office, every member of our staff is dedicated to creating a soothing and relaxing environment for our patients.
Our dentists are more than happy to talk with you about different procedures and to calm your fears about dental techniques. For more information about sedation dentistry or to make an appointment, call our office today!
