One of the biggest impediments to people getting dental care is the fear of the dentist. This is a rational fear because the treatment for dental issues occurs right near your eyes, and the mouth itself is something that has a lot of sensitivity. Having sharp instruments in there poking around is not something that people look forward to. There are plenty of solutions for getting over the fear of going to the dentist, but in truth, not everyone can just do the therapy needed to confront the fear. Sometimes sedation is the best option. The reason why sedation works at Burton Dentistry in Alexandria, VA, is because our team understands the different needs of patients and works to make sure the time spent in the office is relaxing.
A large portion of the population reports anxiety about visiting the dentist. Roughly 3% of people avoid going to the dentist because their fear of what will happen is so profound. This anxiety is the reason many people opt for the laughing gas or get general anesthesia. However, complications could arise from using either of these methods, so that is why some dentists are unable or unwilling to offer this type of sedation. There is a third way to relieve the patient’s anxiety, and that method is called oral conscious sedation.
Oral conscious sedation is when the patient takes a pill prior to the procedure. The job of the pill is that it will make the patient a bit less sensitive to what is going on during the procedure, along with getting them to a more relaxed state. Oral conscious sedation has a specific amount of time, and the good news is an experienced dentist knows how to make the most of that window of opportunity. With oral conscious sedation, you don’t need to worry about coming to the dentist.
If you need dental work but have anxiety, give Burton Dentistry in Alexandria, VA a call so we can talk you through oral conscious sedation.