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Sedation Dentistry

Downtown Dental Studio

General Dentists & Cosmetic Dentists located in Financial District, New York, NY

Between 9% and 20% of Americans avoid going to the dentist because of anxiety or fear. Fear of dental work creates complication for both you and your dental care provider. If your fear of the dentist is preventing you from getting regular checkups and teeth cleanings, Downtown Dentistry Studio in New York’s Financial District can help you get comfortable in the dentist’s chair with the use of sedation dentistry. To learn more about these methods, call the office or use the online booking tool to make an appointment today.

Sedation Dentistry Q & A

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry uses techniques like administering nitrous oxide or sedatives to help patients relax during their dental procedure. 

Sedation dentistry is sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry, but this isn’t entirely accurate since patients are awake during procedures. Downtown Dental Studio’s team doesn’t use methods that completely put you to sleep. 

Who can benefit from sedation dentistry?

If you have dental phobia and are skipping your regular dental checkups, you may benefit from sedation dentistry. Patients with dental phobia experience many of the following symptoms prior to dental appointments:

  • Extreme anxiety 
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Escalating nervousness
  • Uncontrolled crying
  • Feeling physically ill

Sedation dentistry may also benefit you if you find that the sensation of any dental apparatus in your mouth makes it hard for you to breathe or causes you to gag.

If you’re afraid of going to the dentist, don’t wait until you’re in extreme pain to come to the Downtown Dental Studio. The team understands that dental phobia is a real condition and makes every effort to accommodate your anxieties.

What kind of sedation methods are used?

The dental team discuss your fears with you and tries to understand the cause of your anxiety. There are many reasons patients can be afraid of the dentist, such as:

  • Fear of pain
  • Fear of loss of control
  • Claustrophobia

Once your dentist understands the root of your anxiety, they can determine what sedation method is best for you. At Downtown Dental Studio, the team offers sedation options like:

Inhaled minimal sedation

Your dentist gives you a mask that you breathe from. The mask contains a combination of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, and oxygen to help you relax while your dentist performs your procedure. 

This technique allows your dentist to control the amount of sedation you receive by managing the amount of gas you take in. 

Oral sedation

A small number of patients experience negative side effects from nitrous oxide. For these patients, Downtown Dental Studio provides the sedative Valium about an hour before your procedure begins. The medication relaxes you and may make you drowsy, but you’ll still be awake.

Downtown Dental Studio can help even the most anxious of patients. To learn more, call the office or use the online scheduling tool to make an appointment.