Oklahoma City Sedation Dentistry

Do you have a memory of a traumatic dental experience in your past? If so, you may be surprised to learn how many other people are just like you and have a resulting fear of going to the dentist. If so, we are there to help. Dr. Forth has credentials in sedation dentistry and is a member of the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS).

What is Sedation Dentistry?

There are two basic levels of sedation that we offer. One form is oral conscious sedation. This involves taking a pill before the appointment. The medication we use, Triazolam, induces a sleepy and relaxed state. It doesn't make you unconscious the way general anesthesia does. This means that your protective reflexes are all operational. But you are so sleepy and relaxed that you are indifferent to the dental treatment and you may not even remember it. As an added measure of safety, we carefully monitor your vital signs during the appointment.

If you elect to have sedation dentistry, you will need to have someone bring you to your dental appointment and take you home afterward, as it won't be safe for you to drive.

We also offer a milder level of sedation with nitrous oxide gas. It is administered through a nose piece and takes effect rapidly and comes out of your system quickly. Since it has no lingering effects, it is convenient, because at the end of your appointment you can drive home or go back to work. Click here to read more about nitrous oxide.

Both nitrous oxide and oral sedatives are normally used in combination with local anesthetics such as Novocain. The local anesthetics are injected in the mouth around the area that will be worked on in order to block the pain. Since the local anesthetic injections are given after receiving the sedative, patients are usually not even be aware of them.

The Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

From the patient’s point of view, reducing anxiety is the key benefit. Even patients with a lifelong fear of the dentist find that they can get through their procedure comfortably. Since their dental visits are no longer traumatic, they may even find that over time they can handle routine visits with a minimum of stress. For patients who are having a multiple procedures done, sedation dentistry can allow the dentist to work for a longer period of time and complete the process in a fewer number of visits. Patients who are sedated tend to move less which also helps the dentist to complete the work more quickly.

Dr. Forth and Dr. Bender would be happy to answer any question you might have about how sedation dentistry might help make your dental visits less stressful. Contact Forth and Bender Dental Arts at 405.341.9351 and we will be happy to make arrangements for your consultation.

To read more about dental anxiety click here.