Dental anxiety affects millions of Americans, preventing many from seeking necessary oral healthcare. At South Wake Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, we understand that oral surgery procedures can be particularly intimidating. That’s why we offer comprehensive sedation dentistry options at our Cary area practice to ensure your comfort throughout any procedure. But is sedation dentistry right for you? Let’s explore the available options and how they might benefit your specific situation.
Understanding Dental Anxiety
Dental anxiety ranges from mild nervousness to severe phobia that prevents patients from seeking essential care. Common sources include:
- Previous negative dental experiences
- Fear of pain or needles
- Sensitivity to dental noises or smells
- Embarrassment about oral health conditions
- Feeling loss of control during procedures
If any of these concerns have kept you from maintaining your oral health, sedation dentistry could be the solution you’ve been looking for.
Sedation Dentistry Options at South Wake Oral Surgery
Our practice offers several levels of sedation to accommodate different needs, procedures, and anxiety levels:
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
What it is: A mild sedative gas mixed with oxygen that you breathe through a small mask placed over your nose.
Benefits:
- Produces feelings of relaxation and mild euphoria
- Takes effect quickly and wears off rapidly
- Allows you to remain conscious and responsive
- Safe for most patients, including children
- You can typically drive yourself home afterward
Ideal for: Patients with mild anxiety or those undergoing simple procedures like tooth extractions or biopsies.
Oral Sedation
What it is: Prescription anti-anxiety medication taken by mouth before your appointment.
Benefits:
- Creates moderate sedation without needles
- Induces a deeper state of relaxation than nitrous oxide
- You remain conscious but may not remember much of the procedure
- Easy to administer
Ideal for: Patients with moderate anxiety or those undergoing longer procedures like wisdom tooth removal or dental implant placement.
IV Sedation
What it is: Sedative medications delivered directly into your bloodstream through an intravenous line.
Benefits:
- Produces deep relaxation quickly
- Can be adjusted throughout the procedure as needed
- You’ll remain technically conscious but very relaxed and unlikely to remember the procedure
- Allows for complex procedures to be completed comfortably
Ideal for: Patients with severe dental anxiety, extensive surgical needs, or those undergoing complex procedures like full arch dental implants or multiple extractions.
General Anesthesia
What it is: Medications that render you completely unconscious during your procedure.
Benefits:
- Complete unconsciousness during the procedure
- No awareness or memory of the treatment
- Ideal for the most complex surgical cases
Ideal for: Patients undergoing extensive reconstructive surgery, those with special needs that make cooperation difficult, or individuals with extreme dental phobia.
Is Sedation Dentistry Right for You?
Sedation dentistry might be appropriate if you:
- Experience anxiety or fear about dental procedures
- Have a sensitive gag reflex
- Need multiple procedures completed in one visit
- Have difficulty getting numb with local anesthesia alone
- Have a history of traumatic dental experiences
- Need complex or lengthy oral surgery procedures
During your consultation at South Wake Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, our team will review your medical history, discuss your anxiety level, and consider the complexity of your planned procedure to recommend the most appropriate sedation option.
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority at South Wake Oral Surgery & Dental Implants. Before recommending any form of sedation, we:
- Conduct a thorough review of your medical history
- Discuss any medications you’re currently taking
- Consider any medical conditions that could affect sedation
- Provide comprehensive pre- and post-procedure instructions
Our doctors have extensive training in all forms of sedation and our facility is equipped with advanced monitoring equipment to ensure your safety throughout your procedure.
What to Expect with Sedation Dentistry
Before Your Appointment
If you’re scheduled for oral sedation, IV sedation, or general anesthesia:
- Arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment
- Follow all fasting instructions (typically no food or drink for 6-8 hours before)
- Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing
- Remove contact lenses, jewelry, and nail polish
- Inform us of any changes in your health or medications
During Your Procedure
Our experienced team will:
- Place monitoring equipment to track your vital signs
- Administer the appropriate level of sedation
- Ensure you remain comfortable throughout the procedure
- Continuously monitor your condition
After Your Procedure
- You’ll recover in our office until the initial effects wear off
- We’ll provide detailed aftercare instructions
- You’ll need someone to drive you home (except with nitrous oxide)
- You should rest for the remainder of the day
Taking the First Step
If dental anxiety has prevented you from seeking necessary oral surgery care, sedation dentistry at South Wake Oral Surgery & Dental Implants could be the solution you need. Our compassionate team specializes in creating comfortable experiences for even the most anxious patients.
Don’t let fear stand between you and optimal oral health. Contact our office at (919) 567-3293 to schedule a consultation and discuss which sedation option might be right for you. You can also visit our website at southwakeoralsurgery.com to learn more about our services.
South Wake Oral Surgery & Dental Implants provides comprehensive oral surgery services to Cary, Fuquay-Varina, and surrounding communities. Our team specializes in dental implants, wisdom teeth removal, bone grafting, and sedation dentistry, all delivered with exceptional care in our state-of-the-art facility.