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AtPineville Family Dentistry, Dr. Babb specializes in informative, patient-focused care. Our team wants you to feel safe and comfortable during your appointment, whether you’re just visiting for an oral exam and teeth cleaning, or you’ll be undergoing an oral surgery such as dental implant placement. We offer sedation dentistry for all eligible patients to keep you calm and comfortable during your procedure. With sedation dentistry, you can relax in the dentist’s chair and get the treatment you need!
Around 9-20% of the population suffers from dental anxiety. Often, sedation dentistry is the best way to treat patients who are anxious about going to the dentist, as it allows them to relax and helps them overcome their fear.
However, just about anyone can be sedated at the dentist, as long as you are healthy and there are no other complications that would prevent the use of sedatives. You may want to be sedated during your appointment if:
To find out if you can be sedated during your appointment, just consult with Dr. Babb at your appointment, and he’ll offer honest advice and recommend the sedation options that are best for you.
At Pineville Family Dentistry, we offer oral conscious sedation. Oral sedation is a more deep form of sedation. You’ll take a pill-based sedative, usually about an hour before your appointment. Then, you’ll begin to feel drowsy and you may even start to fall asleep during your procedure. However, you cannot drive yourself home afterward, so you will need to make appropriate transportation arrangements beforehand.
Contact the team at Pineville Family Dentistry for more information about pricing, insurance coverage, and other details. Whether you’re in Pineville, Kingsville, Legacy Point or Richfield, we’re here to help with comfortable dentistry in a welcoming environment.
If you choose oral conscious sedation at Pineville Family Dentistry, Dr. Babb will prescribe some pills that you’ll take, usually an hour before your appointment begins. You may also be asked to fast (avoid eating or drinking, except for clear liquids) for up to 8 hours before your procedure.
You will also need a responsible adult who can drive you to and from our office, like a friend, spouse, partner, or anyone else who can care for you after your appointment. It is not safe to drive after oral conscious sedation, and it’s best to have someone keep an eye on you after your appointment.
Once you take your sedation pills, you will start to feel very relaxed and groggy. By the time you reach Dr. Babb’s dentist chair, you may feel sleepy, and you may fall asleep during your appointment. You will feel calm and comfortable.
You may also forget most or all of what happens during your appointment. This is called “anterograde amnesia.” This is a great benefit for more complex dental surgeries, since you won’t remember the experience of your treatment at all.
Once your treatment is over, you’ll be released into the care of the person who brought you to Pineville Family Dentistry. The effects of your sedation may last for 4-6 hours or longer. You will not be able to operate heavy machinery or drive. Your reflexes will be impaired. You may feel nauseated, dizzy, or have a headache. We recommend that you take the day off from work or school to relax and recover.
Dental sedation is 100% safe. The medicines used to sedate patients for dental care are well-studied, and have been used for decades. Serious side effects are extraordinarily rare, and almost never result in any long-term problems.
We’re completely dedicated to patient safety at Pineville Family Dentistry. Dr. Babb and our dental team are fully trained in oral conscious sedation. We will meet with you before your appointment to ensure sedation is safe for your unique situation. Our team will also monitor you closely during your dental appointment to make sure that everything is going according to plan.
Almost all healthy dental patients can be sedated during their treatment. To make sure that you’re a good candidate, Dr. Babb will meet with you to discuss your health history, medications and supplements you’re taking, and any other details that may affect your ability to be sedated during your dental appointment at Pineville Family Dentistry.
There are a few things that may disqualify you from dental sedation. For example, some medications may interfere with the sedative. A history of drug dependency may disqualify a patient. And some respiratory and health conditions also may raise the risk of complications from sedation.
The best way to find out if sedation is right for you is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Babb at Pineville Family Dentistry. Contact us online to get started now, and see if you’re a good candidate for dental sedation in Pineville.
