Feeling Anxious About Dental Care? Consider Sedation Dentistry

When you think about common phobias, your mind probably goes to claustrophobia or arachnophobia. But there’s another fear that affects as many as 20% of American adults, so much so that it keeps them from doing something they ought. It’s dentophobia, or fear of the dentist. 

Because feeling anxious about an upcoming dentist’s appointment is so common, our team looked for a way to help. And that’s why we now offer sedation dentistry here at LA Dentists Group in Glendale, California. With this option, you can relax your way through your next dental appointment.

Is sedation dentistry right for you? To help you find out, let’s take a closer look.

Understanding sedation dentistry

Sedation dentistry wasn’t initially developed to help people get through their dentophobia. Instead, dentists used it to keep patients comfortable during treatments like root canals. 

But as they saw how much it helped patients dealing with anxiousness about sitting in the dentist’s chair, usage for it started to expand. Dentists began using it to help patients who have very sensitive teeth and people with strong gag reflexes. 

Now, because sedation dentistry has been safely used for so long (since 1844, to be precise), we feel confident using it not just when you need it, but when you want it. If you dread your dental care, don’t hesitate to talk to us about how sedation dentistry could help.

Your sedation dentistry options

You have three options for sedation dentistry here at LA Dentists Group.

The mildest is oral sedation. With this option, you take a pill that makes you feel relaxed. You stay awake, but you should feel notably calmer throughout your appointment.

For a greater degree of calming, we also offer intravenous (IV) sedation. This option allows us to adjust your level of sedative as you need it to keep you conscious but deeply relaxed. 

Finally, if you prefer or need to be asleep for certain treatments, we also offer general anesthesia. We have an on-staff anesthesiologist to safely administer this option. 

IV and oral sedation wear off in a few hours. You could schedule an afternoon appointment, choose either of those options, and be ready to make dinner by evening. Generally, you’ll want to take the rest of the day off after choosing sedation dentistry. 

Long story short, if you feel nervous about visiting the dentist, we have a way to help. Don’t let your anxiousness keep you from getting the dental care you need. To talk with our team about what sedation dentistry can do for you, call our office or book your appointment online today.