dentistry

It is not uncommon to be afraid of going to the dentist’s office. Many people suffer from extreme anxiety when it comes time to make another appointment. Unfortunately, this fear can keep patients from receiving the dental care they need, leading to more potential oral health problems. Today, Dr Kelley Fisher is writing from Issaquah, WA, to talk about sedation dentistry and how it can help eliminate your fears and concerns during treatment. Sedation dentistry uses a light sedative to relax the patient to the point where they can receive treatment. We encourage you to read on to learn more about how sedation dentistry can help you conquer your fear of the dentist.

Dentistry Without Anxiety or Pain

At Eastside Comprehensive Dentistry, the main type of sedation we use for our patients suffering from dental anxiety is oral conscious sedation. Oral Conscious sedation allows for light to moderate sedation, depending on how large of a dose you are given. With light sedation, you will feel relaxed and comfortable, but you will still be aware of everything going on around you. For moderate sedation, you can still be conscious for the duration of your procedure, but you may feel drowsy to the point where you may have no recollection of the procedure even occurring. Some patients can even fall asleep during the procedure, but a small shake will quickly awaken them.

Oral conscious sedation is generally regarded as completely safe. However, some conditions may make oral conscious sedation a bad choice for a patient’s treatment. At our Issaquah, WA practice, we carefully screen all patients for any of these conditions before moving forward with sedation. We do not clear anyone for treatment with sedation until we know that they will respond well to the treatment. Even during your treatment, we will continue to screen your vital signs and oxygen saturation levels to ensure that you are completely safe for the entirety of your procedure.

In addition to oral conscious sedation, we also offer inhaled minimal sedation using nitrous oxide. Inhaled sedation, commonly referred to as “laughing gas”, provides light sedation that can minimize any pain you might feel while keeping you alert. Inhaled minimal sedation is popular because Dr Fisher can actually control how much sedation you will receive at any given time, and it wears off quickly, allowing you to drive yourself home after your procedure. These forms of sedation can help ensure that the fear of pain does not keep you from the treatment you need.

Schedule a Consultation in Issaquah, WA

If you suffer from anxiety at the very thought of making a dentist appointment, sedation dentistry may be the answer your looking for. With sedation therapy, you can get the treatment you need without feeling any pain or fear. If you want to find out if you might be a good candidate for sedation dentistry, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr Kelley Fisher today. We look forward to working with you soon!