Anxiety at the dental office is quite common. Many struggle to feel comfortable while undergoing complicated or even routine dental procedures. Fortunately, the West Wind Dental Team is well trained to handle these situations. Our sedation services make visits more pleasant by reducing anxiety and improving pain control especially when paired with our digital anesthetic techniques. We offer several different sedation choices to calm your anxiety and make your dental experience safe and effective. They differ in ease of administration, predictability, depth of sedation and cost. Treatment plans are customized to meet your individual needs.
Those who can benefit from individualized dental sedation techniques include:
- Anxious or fearful patients
- Patients with special needs
- Patients having surgical procedures
- Patients with a severe gag reflex
- Patients that have difficulty getting numb
- Patients that simply do not wish to be aware during the procedure
Dr. Hamilton can discuss the pros and cons of each at your consultation appointment or new patient exam.
Sedation Choices:
- Oral Sedation (tablets or liquid swallowed before an appointment)
- Nitrous oxide/oxygen via a nose mask or canula
- Intravenous sedation (moderate depth) via medications given in a vein
- Combinations of the above
The medications we use are well-researched, simple to administer and work quickly. They will provide relaxation, decreased anxiety, sleepiness and are less expensive/invasive than general anesthesia. Patients undergoing all techniques are properly monitored by state-of-the-art equipment to ensure safety. IV sedation can cause partial to profound amnesia of the dental appointment which can be very appealing to many who are troubled by past bad experiences as a child or an adult.
