National Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry offers sedation dentistry to provide a relaxing dental experience
Does the very idea of going to the dentist stress you out? You are not alone - about 36 percent of people fear dental treatment and 12 percent have an extreme dental fear. If you have dental anxiety, National Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry can help you relax in our dental office with sedation dentistry.
Symptoms of dental anxiety can prevent you from going to the dentist. These symptoms can include:
Sedation dentistry helps you avoid these symptoms and feel calm while you get the dental care you need for healthy teeth and gums.
Everyone who experiences the panic and fear of dental anxiety can benefit from our personalized approach to sedation dentistry at National Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry. You may be a good candidate for sedation dentistry if you:
Sedation dentistry is revolutionizing the patient experience – no more anxiety or stress when you need to get dental work done!
At National Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, we offer a wide variety of sedation dentistry approaches and work with each patient we see to determine which approach may be right for them.
Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide makes treatment more comfortable for patients who experience dental anxiety or who just want to feel more relaxed during a dental procedure.
Our dentist administers nitrous oxide by placing a mask over your nose and mouth. After inhaling nitrous oxide through the mask for just a few months, you’ll notice your anxiety is melting away. You’ll feel relaxed and happy, but awake enough to answer questions and follow instructions. When your procedure is done, our dentist will administer pure oxygen through the mask, which clears the nitrous oxide from your system.
Nitrous oxide is the simplest approach to sedation dentistry. There is no recovery time – nitrous oxide leaves your system immediately, so you can even drive yourself home.
Oral sedation, also known as oral conscious sedation, is provided in pill or liquid form that you swallow about an hour before your procedure. Most dentists use triazolam, which is in the Valium® family of drugs; other medications, such as zaleplon and lorazepam, are effective for sedation dentistry.
The medications used in oral sedation will make you feel groggy; you may even fall asleep during the procedure. You won’t be deeply asleep, though – you awaken with a gentle nudge and be able to communicate with your dentist. You will need a ride home, however, as oral sedation temporarily affects your thinking and motor skills.
Intravenous (IV) sedation is the deepest level of sedation available at a dentist’s office. As its name suggests, IV sedation involves administering sedative medications directly into the bloodstream via an IV needle. Your dentist monitors your vital signs, such as your blood pressure and oxygen levels, throughout the procedure. Your dentist can adjust the rate at which you receive the IV sedative, and administer to reverse the effects of the sedative if needed.
If you are like most people, you will fall asleep during IV sedation and awaken with no memory of the procedure. You will need to spend some time recovering in your dentist’s office, and have someone drive you home.
Your dental sedation cost depends largely on the type of sedation you choose, the length of time you receive sedation, and the average cost of dental care in a given region. Nitrous oxide is usually $25 to $100 or more, whereas the average cost for IV sedation is $482.
National Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry offers sedation dentistry in the Washington, DC area. For more information about sedation dentistry, contact National Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry.
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