Sedation Dentistry in Pasadena, TX

For many people, going to the dentist causes anxiety and fear. However, everyone at Laughlin Dental wants your visits to be comfortable and relaxing. To achieve those goals, sedation dentistry gives you options for your dental treatments. However, what are those options and how can they help you?

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Your dental needs affect your whole body. Therefore, keeping up with your needs is critical. Unfortunately, many people avoid going to the dentist at all costs to their own oral health.

Sedation helps those who fear going to the dentist relax for their visit. Moreover, sedation helps with everything from teeth cleaning to invasive procedures. How you gain sedation and for which procedures varies according to your specific needs.

As the saying goes, “Every little bit helps.” As far as sedation in dentistry, that adage holds true.

Sedation levels include minimal, moderate, deep, and general anesthesia. Minimal sedation keeps you awake, yet relaxed. Moderate sedation, however, involves a higher dose of anesthesia. Deep sedation takes you to the edge of consciousness, while general anesthesia will put you completely to sleep.

A woman in a dentist chair getting her teeth brushed.

Sedation Options

For example, options for sedation during dental visits include:

Inhaled Minimal Sedation

For this type of sedation, you breathe nitrous oxide with oxygen through a mask over your nose. Many people call this “laughing gas.” You quickly feel relaxed. The sedation wears off quickly, so you can still drive yourself home or return to work.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation varies from minimal to moderate, depending on your dose. Minimal oral sedation involves taking a Halcion pill or other medication about an hour before the procedure. Specifically, this makes you feel a bit sleepy, but you remain awake and aware. For moderate sedation, you take a larger dose and may fall asleep during your procedure.

IV Sedation

For IV sedation, the dental professional provides intravenous sedative medication through a vein. This makes your sedation work quickly at easily adjusted levels.

General Anesthesia

General anesthesia involves medications causing unconsciousness or near unconsciousness. This deep sedation puts you to sleep until the medication wears off. In fact, all of these sedation options customize your dental experience. You usually need local anesthetic, too. These local injections prevent you from feeling discomfort during dental work.

Is Sedation Right for You?

If you experience fear or anxiety before going to the dentist, sedation is right for you. A comfortable experience at the dentist paves the way for greater dedication to your own dental needs.

You receive sedation if you have a low pain threshold, problems sitting still during dental work, tooth sensitivity, bad gag reflex, or need a large amount of work completed at once.

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A woman with a piece of plastic on her nose.

Family Dental Care and Services

Your dentist in Pasadena, TX provides the dental services you need for healthy teeth and gums. Some services involve oral surgeries through a specialist, whereas others take place in the dentist’s office. Services you can count on from Laughlin Dental include:

General dentistry

Restorative dentistry

Family dentistry

SureSmile

Cosmetic dentistry

Your dentist at Laughlin Dental works hard with you to help you avoid needing surgery. Focus on preventing your need for oral surgery through your best routine oral health care and hygiene. Start that best oral health by scheduling your next visit with Laughlin Dental now at (281) 801-6818.