If you are that person who sits in the dentist’s waiting room wringing their hands, biting their nails, and trying to calm down, don’t worry – you’re not alone. There are hundreds of people like you who experience this kind of dentist’s office anxiety.

Dental phobia is one of the most common fears worldwide. Research has shown that dental phobia is the reason why many people fear of getting their teeth treated. To help these patients deal with this issue while going through a dental operation, sedation dentistry is now practiced widely.

With the help of sedation dentistry, cosmetic dentistry can be performed while the patient’s nerves are calmed. Two options for sedation-dentistry techniques are oral conscious sedation and nitrous oxide.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Also known as procedural sedation and analgesia sedation dentistry, oral conscious sedation is a process wherein sedatives are administered before a dental operation to help you relax.

In this process, although you remain wide awake and responsive while the operation goes on, you will not feel any pain. The sedative that is administered helps calm your nerves and erase your fears so that you are completely comfortable throughout your dental treatment.

There are different types of oral sedation dentistry that can be administered for treating different levels of dental anxiety.

  • Light Sedation – In this type of sedation, you will be minimally sedated and able to relax during the treatment while remaining wide awake and responsive.
  • Moderate Sedation – With this option, while you will remain conscious during the procedure, you most likely will not remember anything after your dental treatment. While you will be able to communicate, you might feel groggy. Some patients have a tendency to fall asleep with moderate sedation, but after treatment, they wake up easily.
  • Deep Sedation – Some dentists don’t categorize deep sedation as conscious sedation. In this process, most patients are either partially or completely unconscious during the treatment. With deep sedation, it will generally take you longer to recover from the dose of the sedation.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Probably the most popular type of sedation, nitrous oxide sedation (also known as laughing gas) is a gentle way to alleviate the anxiety of your dental treatment. Nitrous oxide is a very safe and predictable method of sedation and is widely used by dentists.

If you’re the kind of patient who becomes slightly nervous before a dental operation, nitrous oxide sedation will work wonders for you. When nitrous oxide is administered, it creates a feeling of lightness, almost like you’re floating. This erases all possible discomfort you are likely to feel during your dental treatment.

With this method, you will be given a small mask, which will be placed on your nose. Through this, an odorless gas will be administered. It will be removed only after your treatment is completed, and you will be back on your toes in minutes.

Which Type of Sedation Is Right for You?

The best way to learn which type of sedation is right for your next procedure is by discussing the options with cosmetic dentist Dr. Dan Miller. Dr. Miller has years of experience and will be available to answer your questions, so contact us and set up a consultation.