There are things to fear in this world: your mother-in-law, some of the denizens of Lake Washington, the decision to remake Full House, and people who spend two hours a day on Facebook.
There isn’t any reason, however, to fear the crew at Implant Dentistry of Florida. Still, we understand that some people have serious anxiety about visiting the dentist, so we offer sedation to ease the fear.
Sedation Dentistry
At Implant Dentistry of Florida, we stay on the cutting edge of the latest practices in dentistry. That includes keeping our patients comfortable throughout the various procedures we perform. Still, some patients have trouble with anxiety even before they walk in our front door. This may be due to a former bad experience with another dentist, or it could simply be an innate fear.
Sedation Options
- Local anesthesia
The goal of local anesthesia is to block conduction along the nerve pathways so that the patient doesn’t feel any pain. “Local” anesthesia is named this because it is placed only in the area of the work being done, for instance, in the tissue surrounding a tooth. Most people think of local anesthesia as Novocain, which was the first synthetic local anesthesia developed. Once in use, however, it was found that a significant part of the population had an allergic reaction to Novocain.
In its place, Lidocaine is now more common. It is extremely safe and effective and is the number one local anesthetic in dentistry and medicine. We use Lidocaine to keep our patient’s pain-free.
- Nitrous oxide
Colloquially called “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide has been used in dentistry since the 1800s. It produces a slight euphoria in the patient and has a calming effect. We like nitrous oxide because it is very quickly eliminated from your body after its administration ceases, within 5-10 minutes. This allows patients to drive home immediately afterward.
- Minimal sedation
For patients with more anxiety, we often use oral sedatives, most commonly Valium, Lorazepam, or Halcion. These sedatives produce a very relaxed state and eliminate most anxiety, yet the patient can still respond to instructions. They have a nice amnesia effect, as well, so the patient remembers little about their visit.
- Moderate conscious sedation
For higher levels of anxiety, we use intravenous administration of moderate sedation. We monitor the levels and continue to ensure we deliver the correct dosage. These sedatives create a state of extreme relaxation, but not sleep. The patient is awake and able to respond to instructions but will remember nothing of the appointment.
Schedule a Consultation
So, go ahead and be afraid of clowns, but not your visit to Implant Dentistry of Florida. Call us at 321-259-9429 to make your next appointment.