Dentistry has come a long way, to ensure the patient as comfortable as possible. Comfortable chairs, sunglasses to block any strong light going into your eyes and even TVs mounted on the ceilings of the procedure rooms, have all enhanced for making the dental experience more comfortable. However, anxiety and fear are still very common for many patients. In fact, millions of people neglect to care for their teeth due to fear.

When it comes to dental anxiety, there are various medications available to alleviate most fears and allow a patient to have a painless dental experience. If you are a nervous patient, then contact your dentist to set up a meeting. They will be able to assess your overall oral health and help you to determine your needs so that you can have a painless appointment with them, which may include dental sedation.

Dentists often seek out one of two different types of sedation options. They differ in their administration as well as the level of pain control and anxiety relief that they provide.

This is a pill or liquid prescribed and taken prior to the procedure. These sedatives, often referred to as sleeping pills allow the patient to become very relaxed to the point that they are generally not aware of the treatment being provided. As this is a stronger level of sedation, patients needs someone to take the patient to and from the dental clinic and usually have to take rest after the treatment, allowing the sedative to wear off. This type of sedation is ideal for longer, more invasive procedures, and for patients that would rather not be aware of the dental treatment being provided.

Intravenous sedation is used for more extensive procedures such asthe removal of wisdom teeth and gum therapy. The IV is administered in the dental clinic prior to the dental procedure. The medication allows the patient to become extremely relaxed and unconcerned about what is going on around them while still being conscious. IV sedation is the most effective method of gaining predictable and adequate sedation in nearly all patients.