Sedation Dentist Dallas

People who are particularly fidgety may face challenges in getting dental care. When you can’t sit still, it can be difficult for the dentist to be as precise as necessary with the dental instruments. Fortunately, working with a sedation dentist can help you overcome this obstacle. What A Sedation Dentist Does A sedation dentist will administer anti-anxiety medications to a patient in order to help the patient relax during the treatment. Even if your fidgeting is not related to anxiety, sedation can help to settle your body to make it easier for the dentist to treat you for issues such as cavities, aesthetic concerns or even routine exams and cleanings. The sedative drugs can be delivered in a variety of ways, and your dentist may offer different options so it’s important to discuss which method is most appropriate for your case. Additionally, the sedatives have different degrees of effects and require different levels of preparation. For example, patients who receive intravenous sedation must fast for a certain number of hours prior to the appointment. Your sedation dentist will give you detailed information specific to the delivery method being used in your case so that you can prepare adequately for your appointment. How Sedation Dentistry Enhances Care The drugs used in sedation help patients to achieve a state of deep relaxation during their appointment, so patients who are fearful or those who can’t sit still can still access treatment. Additionally, the sedation reduces the patient’s sense of the passage of time, so it can be useful in situations involving lengthy, complex interventions. Sedation also has an amnestic effect on patients, so they have no recollection of the procedure after the fact. If you find that you can’t sit still and it’s interfering with your ability to get dental care, consider sedation as an add-on that can help you access treatment. Call the office of Dr. Barry Buchanan and speak to one of our experienced staff members to learn more about this option.    

Read more

Unfortunately, dental fear keeps a large number of patients away from the dentist’s office. This anxiety may prevent you from obtaining even routine care and can ultimately result in serious oral health consequences. Many patients who suffer from dental fear find that sedation helps them access the care they need. How Sedation Dentistry Works A sedation dentist administers medications that help patients achieve a deeply relaxed state before any interventions are performed. The drugs used in this approach are often from a class of anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines. They may be delivered in pill form, gaseous form or intravenously. Your sedation dentist may recommend any of these three methods. Although patients feel as though they are asleep while under sedation, they actually remain conscious throughout the appointment. Depending on the sedation method chosen, patients may need to prepare for sedation in advance of the appointment. For example, patients may be instructed to fast prior to receiving intravenous sedation. Also, patients will not have recovered fully from most sedation methods by the end of the appointment, so you will also need to arrange for a responsible adult to escort you home. Benefits Of Sedation Dentistry Patients who work with a sedation dentist to access dental care gain a number of benefits in the process. Because patients maintain consciousness while under sedation, the airway does not need to be maintained artificially as it does with general anesthesia. For this reason, sedation is generally considered to be a safer option than general anesthesia. Of course, your dentist will assess your medical history for any concerns that might contraindicate sedation. Indeed, the main benefit of sedation dentistry is that this technique helps patients overcome anxiety that can be a barrier to their receiving necessary dental care. Patients also do not form memories while under sedation, so there is no opportunity for an existing dental fear to be reinforced and exaggerated. Have you steered clear from regular dental checkups and cleanings because of dental fear? Investigate sedation dentistry as a treatment option that can give you peace of mind and help you access the treatments you need to keep your smile as healthy as possible.

Read more

Dental fear can be a serious barrier to obtaining all levels of care, from routine exams and cleanings to more involved interventions to address oral diseases. A sedation dentist can help you overcome your anxiety and get the treatments you need to keep your smile as healthy as possible. If you’ve postponed care because you’re afraid of the dentist, you should look into this approach. A sedation dentist administers anti-anxiety medications to patients to help them relax deeply throughout the course of the appointment. The sedative drugs may be delivered orally or intravenously. Patients may also inhale gaseous nitrous oxide to achieve the same effect in certain situations. With sedation, unlike general anesthesia, the patient remains conscious throughout the appointment. Therefore, patients are able to respond to commands from the sedation dentist for greater ease of care. Also with sedation, the airway is not compromised, unlike in general anesthesia when the airway must be maintained artificially over the course of the procedure. Patients who choose sedation achieve a state that feels sleep-like although they do remain conscious. Furthermore, the sedatives have amnestic effects, which means that patients will have no recollection of the procedure after the sedatives have worn off. This reduces the likelihood that bad memories of your dental treatment will reinforce the anxiety you have about getting treatment. Sedation does require certain preparations on the patient’s part. For example, if you choose intravenous sedation, your dentist will direct you to fast for a specified amount of time prior to the appointment. Additionally, you will need to make arrangements to have a responsible adult accompany you to the office and escort you home. The medications will not have completely worn off by the time you leave the office, so you will not be able to drive safely. Has dental fear kept you away from the dentist’s office? Sedation may help you get the care that you need. Call our office to schedule a consultation and learn more about this treatment option.

Read more

We understand that dental anxiety is a serious issue for many patients and can even present a barrier to their willingness to get routine care like professional cleanings and exams, let alone more involved procedures. If you fall into this category, you should consider seeing a sedation dentist who prioritizes your comfort for all treatments. A sedation dentist will use anti-anxiety medications to help the patient achieve a state of deep relaxation. These medications may be delivered intravenously or in pill form. Some dentists may also give patients the option to inhale nitrous oxide for its sedative effect. You should discuss all of the possibilities with your dentist to choose the method that works best for you. In contrast with general anesthesia, sedation actually allows patients to remain conscious throughout the treatment, although they enter a sleep-like state. For this reason, sedation is often considered to be a safer alternative to anesthesia, which renders the patient unconscious and requires artificial airway maintenance. However, sedation has the same amnestic effect as anesthesia so patients will not have any vivid negative memories after the fact to reinforce their dental fear. Although patients do remain conscious during the appointment, the sedation dentist will continue to monitor the patient’s vital signs for the patient’s safety so that action can be taken if any concerns develop. If you choose sedation to make your dental appointment more comfortable, you may need to make some prior preparations before coming to the office. For example, patients who opt for IV sedation will need to fast after midnight. Oral medications need to be taken far enough in advance to give them time to achieve the desired effect, and you’ll have to arrange for someone to bring you to and from your appointment. Other sedatives may not fully reverse by the time you leave our office, so you’ll need to bring someone to escort you home in these cases, too. Your dentist will give you more specific instructions on preparing for your appointment. Our goal is to maximize your comfort while you are under our care, and we offer a variety of sedation options in order to achieve that objective. Call our office to speak to a member of our staff and learn more about sedation and how it might benefit you.

Read more

Have you put off seeking routine dental care out of fear and had your oral health and your smile’s appearance suffer as a result? A sedation dentist can help you get the care and treatments that you need to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. A sedation dentist administers medication to patients that helps them achieve a deep state of relaxation during their dental appointments. Some dentists refer to this practice as “sleep dentistry,” but that’s somewhat of a misnomer, as patients remain conscious throughout the appointment. Patients may have different options for medication delivery that are offered by the sedation dentist. Intravenous sedatives take effect rapidly, which is advantageous in some ways, but they may not be the best option for patients who are skittish about needles in addition to the dentist. Oral sedatives are a good alternative for patients who want nothing to do with needles, but they do require some preparation. You must take the pill far enough in advance of your appointment for it to achieve the desired effects. If you do choose sedation to make your experience at the dentist a little more comfortable, you may need to plan for some aspects of your care in advance, such as taking oral sedatives prior to arriving at our office. Additionally, the effects of many sedatives will not be fully reversed by the end of the appointment, so you will need to make arrangements for a responsible adult to drive you home from the appointment. Don’t think that anxious patients are the only ones who might benefit from sedation. This technique also helps patients comply with longer treatment sessions. Therefore, someone who needs multiple, time-consuming interventions can take advantage of sedation to streamline their treatment timeline and have treatments consolidated into a smaller number of appointments. Sedation can help patients tolerate treatments as routine as dental exams and cleanings or as complex as smile makeovers or dental implant placement. If dental fear has kept you away from the dentist for too long, talk to one of our knowledgeable professionals to learn more about how sedation may help you access the care that you and your smile need. Contact us at the office of Barry Buchanan, DDS, today!

Read more

Unfortunately, many patients with dental anxiety develop their fears or have them reinforced based on negative memories from past experiences. Sedation dentistry may be able to help these patients overcome those fears because most people will have no memory of a procedure completed while they are under sedation. In addition to helping the patient relax enough to tolerate the treatment, the medications administered by a sedation dentist also can leave the patient with amnesia of the appointment timeframe, eliminating any potentially negative memories of the procedure. A sedation dentist can deliver these anti-anxiety drugs via a number of different methods. The patient can take a pill by mouth in advance of the appointment or receive medications intravenously upon arriving for the appointment. Nitrous oxide can also have a sedating effect, and that effect is reversed rather quickly. Sedation often is considered to be a safer method than general anesthesia because patients remain conscious and their airways are not compromised, neither of which is true of general anesthesia. Discuss your various options with your sedation dentist so that you can make the best choice for your particular case. Regardless of the sedation method you choose, be sure to follow the instructions provided by your dentist. For example, you may need to make arrangements to have a responsible adult escort you home from the appointment if the sedation will still be affecting you when it’s time to leave. Patients who choose IV sedation will need to fast after midnight in advance of the appointment. Your dentist can also give you more specific directions related to your case. Sedation dentistry can help you access the dental care that you need, and you’re unlikely to have any negative memories after your appointment. To learn more about how sedation may benefit you, contact the office of Dr. Barry Buchanan at 214-343-1818 to speak to a knowledgeable member of our dental team.

Read more

When it comes to visiting the dentist, do you feel anxious? You’re not alone; many people dread receiving dental treatment because they have dental phobias and anxiety. Unfortunately, for some, these kinds of fears can prevent patients from receiving the oral healthcare they need and deserve. Some patients will forego necessary, tooth-saving treatment for years at a time because their anxiety is too much to handle. For patients with moderate to severe anxiety in dental settings, we offer sedation dentistry—a service that involves using anti-anxiety medication to provide a worry-free and comfortable experience, even for the most fearful patients. Benefits of Sedation Dentistry Sedation has been used in dentistry for centuries. Nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” for example, is a safe and fast-acting method that has been used by oral healthcare professionals for over 100 years. Other forms of sedation used in dentistry include orally administered prescription medication and intravenous drugs. The following are some common benefits to receiving sedation dentistry: Reduced feelings of fear, panic, and worry Relaxation during procedures that require stillness Safe administration of medication since it is overseen by trained professionals Improved comfort during treatment Using sedatives in dentistry helps patients overcome their fears and phobias, thus making those with phobias less likely to forego necessary oral care procedures. How Sedation Works The mildest form of sedation, nitrous oxide, works by administering this gas through a nasal mask. Nitrous oxide has sedative and anesthetic qualities so it produces warm, euphoric feelings quickly. The amount of nitrous oxide can be easily adjusted to each patient’s needs. Sedation may also be given via oral prescriptions. These prescriptions are usually anti-anxiety medications that prevent the GABA receptors in the brain from producing chemicals that create anxiety and panicked emotions. For lengthy procedures or surgeries, IV sedation may be used. Licensed professionals in a highly controlled environment administer IV sedation so that patients enjoy a safe and relaxing experience. To learn more about the benefits of sedation dentistry, call our office at 214-343-1818.

Read more