Inhalation Sedation Dentistry in Pembroke Pines

Although the amount of information linking our oral health to our overall health is overwhelming many are still skipping their local dentist and their regular dental checkups. In multiple studies, the number one reason people don’t go to the dentist for regular checkups is fear. One would think that fear and anxiety about going to the dentist is something associated with children but also significantly prevalent among adults due to high sensitivity to pain. If this sounds like you, we would like to introduce you to sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry is a safe and easy way for patients, who are fearful of pain and the dental procedure, to undergo a variety of dental procedures. The dentist will administer a drug before or during the dental procedure, sometimes referred to as “sleep dentistry,” although the patient is very much awake (except for those who are under general anesthesia).

With that said, it necessary to point out that there are several types or levels of sedation dentistry ranging from conscious, semi-conscious, and full sedation, lights out as some people call it! Sedation in dentistry has been a controversial topic due to questions concerning its safety. Every time you use sedation or any general anesthesia, there is a risk involved. There are cases where complications have happened, ranging from people shocking on their own fluids to cardiac arrest due to adverse reactions to the drugs used. As a leading dental office in Pembroke Pines, we have made a conscious decision to limit the risk of our patients by employing gas or inhalation light sedation using Nitrous Oxide.

It is our opinion and that of many leading experts that Inhalation Sedation may be the safest option for individuals suffering from dental fear and anxiety. There are other types of conscious sedation, where injectable drugs are used to induced depression of consciousness during which the patient responds purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation. However, with Nitrous oxide or laughing gas light dental sedation, there are no injections, which is another type of phobia. Your dentist administers the nitrous oxide through a mask placed over your nose. As you inhaled the gas, you perceive less pain and experience a feeling of euphoria.

So, if you are one of those people who avoid dentists like the plague, sedation dentistry may take away some of your anxiety and fear. Contact Dr. Annabel Perez at Pines Dental Solutions today to determine if our inhalation sedation options are a good fit for you. Inhalation sedation dentistry is useful for everything from invasive procedures to a simple tooth cleaning.

The nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas, is combined with oxygen to helps you relax throughout the procedure. Your dentist can control the amount of sedation you receive depending on the severity of the pain, and the gas tends to wear off quickly. Inhalation Sedation is the only form of sedation dentistry where you may be able to drive just a few minutes after the procedure.