Dental Treatment Sedation
If the thought of a trip to your dentist sends a chill up your spin, you’re not alone. Many people are apprehensive about going to the dentist to the point they’d rather stay in pain than receive treatment. Luckily, University General Dentists can offer patients sedation options that can help relieve that anxiety associated with a dental appointment.
Nitrous Oxide
Commonly referred to as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide is a safe, effective sedative that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that covers your nose to help you relax.
Nitrous oxide is one option that your dentist may offer you in order to make you more comfortable during certain procedures. This sedative is not intended to put you to sleep, and you may be able to hear and respond to your dentist’s requests or directions. While effects vary, most would agree you may feel light-headed or a tingling in your arms and legs, and some report their arms and legs feeling heavy. Ultimately, you should feel calm and comfortable and effects should wear off soon after the mask is removed.
Hospital Sedation
Dental chair anxiety, dental phobia, or other special circumstances like mental or physical disabilities can make seeing a dentist in a regular setting more difficult, even traumatic. Avoiding the dentist, however, can be detrimental to not only your dental health but also your overall health.
University General Dentists has the distinguishing ability to provide patients with the option of hospital sedation. Our dentists are extensively trained in treating patients in a hospital setting and can offer general anesthesia at our University of Tennessee Medical Center office via the hospital’s operating rooms right down the hallway. Because of these privileges, we’re able to utilize general anesthesia to treat patients who under normal circumstances would have difficulties in the dental chair.
FAQs
How long after receiving nitrous oxide will I feel its effects?
Your dentist can control the amount of sedative you receive, and the gas tends to wear off quickly.
Why would I seek hospital sedation for dental care?
There are a variety of reasons you may choose to seek hospital sedation for your dental care.
You could suffer from the very real fear of dental phobia.
You may have mental or physical disabilities that make sitting in a dental chair for extended times difficult.
You may suffer from a hypersensitive gag reflex that makes routine dental care difficult to receive.
Are your doctors trained to provide sedation?
Our doctors are trained to work in a hospital setting and work closely with hospital anesthesiologists and surgeons to guarantee the best experience.
How is hospital sedation administered?
As we mentioned, our doctors work closely with hospital anesthesiologists and surgeons to administer hospital sedation. All procedures including hospital sedation take place in an operation room at The University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Good oral health can lead to a better quality of life.
Don’t let the fear of the dentist or dental procedures stop you from getting the dental care you need.
Talk to our doctors today about general anesthesia in a hospital setting.