Many patients experience stress and anxiety when visiting their dental clinic. Visiting a dentist near you for checkups is important for your oral health Some procedures, in particular, can cause high levels of anxiety for patients, but luckily, sedation dentistry can help patients relax during their visit.

Sedation dentistry, also called sleep dentistry, involves using technology and professional equipment to calm anxious patients during treatment; different techniques are used to minimize their stress.

Our dentists in SE Calgary prioritize patient comfort and want to minimize any apprehension that a dental procedure is causing you. Our clinic provides various forms of sedation to accommodate each distinctive case and help all our patients enjoy their visit.

Sedation can be used for many procedures; these include:

  • Wisdom teeth removal
  • Root canal therapy
  • Treatment of infections
  • Dental Implants
  • Bone grafting
  • Teeth removal

Since the health and needs of each patient is unique, we recommend talking to a dentist near you to determine what type of sleep dentistry will work best for you.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

Three main forms of dental sedation are used in dental practices. Your dentist can help you determine which one is most suitable for your procedure.

1.Nitrous Oxide

More commonly known as laughing gas, this type of sedation can be used for both children and adults. Dentists will put a mask over the patient’s nose and ask them to breathe in deeply. The gas will relax the patient within minutes and allow the doctor to begin their work.

With this sedation, patients remain awake and aware but feel relaxed. Nitrous oxide is not as long-lasting as other sedation types. The effect of the gas will wear off quickly, and you’ll stop feeling the effect soon after your visit is over.

This method is commonly used for painless procedures, as it’s mostly used to relax the patient’s anxiety instead of being employed for pain management.

2.IV Sedation

IV sedation is better for pain management and will be administered to a patient via an IV. The medication will render you unconscious for the duration of the procedure. You will also have an oxygen mask to guarantee your body receives enough oxygen while you are asleep.

This method is recommended for patients who are receiving a more painful or invasive procedure or those who experience extreme fear while at the dentist.

3.Oral Sedation

This method incorporations the prescription of medicine. The patient will be given the medication a few hours before their procedure which will make them feel very drowsy.

This method will keep you semi-conscious and help your body manage any pain and anxiety that can arise from the procedure.

Oral sedation will take longer to wear off than other methods of sedation. A patient should not drive home and take necessary measures to ensure they are being careful until the medication has fully worn off.

What To Expect

Each sedation method works differently with a patient’s body, and what to expect from an appointment with sedation dentistry in SE Calgary depends on the dental process. Each patient will have a unique experience with sedation and should talk to a dentist to better understand what to expect.

At Heritage Smiles Dental, we want to help patients feel comfortable on every visit. We believe it’s important to inform each patient of the different sedation types and which one is best. Contact us today for any dental concerns and book an appointment with our professional dental staff.