Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia
Does the thought of going to the dentist for a simple procedure make you uncomfortable? If you answered “yes,” you could be suffering from one of two related conditions known as dental anxiety and dental phobia.
Dental anxiety is defined as an abnormal fear of visiting the dentist. Dental phobia is a more extreme fear that results in strong feelings of dread. People with dental phobia tend to only visit the dentist when they’re suffering from severe pain.
Dental anxiety and dental phobia prevent millions of Americans from getting the health care they need. If fact, “it’s been estimated that 9% to 15% of Americans avoid seeing the dentist because of anxiety and fear.” But if you’re avoiding pressing dental issues, they aren’t going to go away on their own. In fact, they’re likely to get worse.
What is IV Sedation Dentistry?
There’s an easy and painless way to get the essential dental care you need without suffering from the effects of dental anxiety. It’s called sedation dentistry. With sedation dentistry, a qualified anesthesiologist administers intravenous (IV) sedation to calm the patient prior to and during the procedure.
IV sedation is the most common form of sedation administered by dental offices in the United States. It’s the safest way to administer anesthesia because it gives the doctor greater control in adjusting the dosage. Plus, with IV sedation it’s much easier for the doctor to control when sedation ends. That’s because orally administered drugs can continue to be metabolized in the body after the procedure has been completed.
IV sedation is the safest and most convenient type of sedation. With alternative types of sedation, side effects such as nausea, urinary retention, sore throat and other post-op issues are more common than they are with IV sedation.
When is IV Sedation a Good Option?
In addition helping patients who suffer from dental anxiety and dental phobia, IV sedation is also beneficial in the following circumstances:
- A large amount of dental work is being performed
- Patient can’t sit still in the chair
- Patient has a low pain threshold
- Patient has a gag reflex
Contact Us for Sedation Dentistry in Dallas, PA
Give us a call at (570) 675-1138 to arrange IV sedation dentistry for your next dental appointment if you think it might be the right option for you.