Oral Sedation Dentist in Calgary

Oral sedation is one of the most common forms of sedation dentistry offered in Calgary. Many patients find that taking a pill to ease their anxiety prior to a dental visit helps them to overcome physical and emotional roadblocks that make dental treatment a challenge.

If you have fear, anxiety or discomfort when going to the dentist in Calgary, sedation dentistry may be for you. A mild sedative can make a huge difference in your experience and ability to withstand the entire dental visit, whether you require a routine cleaning or if you need to have extensive work completed.

Sedation dentistry in Calgary can be used for patients with different needs such as:

●     Sensitive teeth

●     Low pain threshold

●     Patients that need a large amount of dental work in one visit

●     Sensitive gag reflex

●     Patients that have difficulty sitting still in the chair

●     Previous traumatic dental experiences

If any of these concerns have kept you from visiting the dentist in the past, read on to discover the different sedation dentistry options that you may be able to take advantage of to make the visit easier to manage.

There are a few options for sedation dentistry in Calgary:

1.    Laughing Gas - Nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas, is used to relax patients during dental procedures. You’ll be conscious while taking laughing gas, but because it’s gas, it wears off very quickly once you stop breathing it in. Patients who only receive laughing gas as a sedative are often allowed to drive themselves home after a procedure.

2.    Oral Sedation - Oral sedation, also called “conscious sedation,” involves you taking a prescribed dose of sedative before your procedure. This type of sedation leaves you awake for the procedure but significantly relaxes you. Patients who have higher levels of anxiety often benefit from this type of dentistry.

3.    IV Sedation - IV sedation has a few variations: the first is what’s known as “twilight,” where you’re conscious, but not very aware of your surroundings. Twilight IV sedation makes you feel sleepy, and you may not remember any of the procedure once it’s over. However, you are not unconscious, and it’s possible to wake you up.

The other option is general anesthesia, which is relatively uncommon as far as sleep dentistry goes. Only patients who need significant oral surgery, or who are resistant to other types of sedation, will need general anesthesia. With general anesthesia, you’re totally unconscious. This kind of sedation needs to happen in a hospital or a specialized clinic with either a nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist administering the sedative and monitoring your vital signs. 

If you suffer from any type of dental anxiety or discomfort, talk to your dentist to find out if sedation dentistry in Calgary is right for you. You may find that with a bit of extra support, you are able to relax through basic procedures and to sit for longer periods of time when dental work is required. Sedation will help you to relax, reduce anxiety and can help with sensitivity that often keeps patients out of the dentist’s chair for years, wreaking havoc on their dental health.