We all have our fears. For some it’s spiders. For others, snakes.
For many, it’s fear of the dentist.
It’s estimated that about one third of the population has dental anxiety or dental fear, with up to 12 percent of people having a degree of dental fear and phobia that keeps them from getting the preventive care they need to maintain their oral health.
To help our patients overcome any fear or anxiety, at Implant Dentistry of Florida we offer various levels of dental sedation. This allows patients to relax and receive the treatments they need, plus sedation has the added benefit of providing an amnesic effect afterwards.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation and pain relief are not the same things. At Implant Dentistry of Florida, we offer sedation to help patients deal with strong feelings of fear and anxiety that arise when they visit the dentist. After receiving sedation and successfully completing their appointment, patients often change the entire way they view dental appointments going forward. Sedation could be a great option if you:
- Have difficult overcoming anxiety about the dentist
- Have a low pain threshold
- Have very sensitive teeth
- Have a very strong gag reflex
- Need a large amount of work done
Once you are sedated and comfortable, we then properly numb, or anesthetize, the area we are working on, ensuring that your procedure is pain free.
What types of sedation are offered?
At Implant Dentistry of Florida, our dentists have trained in intravenous conscious sedation at Georgetown Hospital, the University of Kentucky, and in the United States Air Force. They are licensed by the State of Florida Board of Dentistry to administer moderate sedation.
Those credentials enable us to offer a variety of sedation options for our patients from Melbourne and the surrounding areas. Here are the sedation choices:
- Nitrous oxide — This is laughing gas. It takes effect almost immediately once the mask is place over the patient’s mouth and nose. It also goes away just as quickly when the mask is removed, enabling patients to drive immediately after their appointment.
- Oral sedation — This sedation involves taking an anti-anxiety pill such as Halcyon that relaxes the patient, but they are fully awake and can respond to requests from our dentists.
- IV sedation — Intravenous sedation is a higher level of sedation that is controlled continuously by our team. It enables patients to tolerate longer treatment sessions.
If you have anxiety about seeing the dentist, that’s no reason it should keep you from receiving the care you need thanks to dental sedation at Implant Dentistry of Florida. Call us at (321) 372-7700 and let’s discuss the sedation option that will work the best for you.