San Antonio Dentist Offers Sedation Dentistry to Ease Patient Anxiety

At W Dental Group in San Antonio we offer sedation dentistry services to our patients. This option is for patients who are not comfortable during dental visits and procedures. The most common type of sedation denstistry in the dentist office is called conscious sedation.

During conscious sedation your consciousness is minimally depressed meaning you are still aware of your surroundings and you can actively communicate with the dentist. Both children and adults can benefit from being consciously sedated during specific procedures including filling cavities, root canals, cosmetic dentistry, and placing dental crowns and caps.

Sedation Dentistry an Option as Part of
Dental Care Plan

Sedation dentistry is a good alternative for patients who are nervous or anxious about various types of dental care. Our patients who require dental surgery or extensive dental work such as reconstructive procedures to fix broken teeth and gum damage may choose sedation dentistry to help them relax. Our San Antonio dentist will outline and explain your options before he begins working on your teeth. The two most common types of sedation are inhaled sedation and oral sedation. Both methods are conscious sedation where our patient is not unconscious. They may fall asleep but they can easily respond to our dentist if needed while he is working on their teeth.

Inhaled sedation dentistry typically is referred to as “laughing gas.” With this sedation your nose is covered with a mask and you inhale either nitrous oxide or oxygen before our San Antonio dentist begins working on your teeth. The nitrous oxide will make you feel a little funny or even put you to sleep. It can also help reduce pain. Oral sedation dentistry is another common practice at most dentist offices. This kind of sedation is administered through a pill that is generally taken at home an hour or two before your visit. With oral sedation our patients will have to be accompanied by someone who can drive them to our office and take them home safely.

Dental surgery is one aspect of dental care where a patient would choose a stronger sedation or anesthesia so that they are asleep during the surgery. Some dental surgeries will require our patient to have IV sedation which a general anesthesia that puts them completely out. This kind of sedation is for patients receiving extensive cosmetic or restoration dental work as well as patients who have a phobia of the dentist. Dental surgery such as root canals, gum recontouring and dental implants may require IV sedation for many patients.

Dr. Tom Watkins and Dr. Alejandro Cavazos and their staff of highly-trained dental professionals are dedicated to providing quality care to all of their patients. They are focused on making each patient as comfortable as possible. Sedation dentistry may be the answer to some of our patients in the San Antonio area. Visit W Dental Group dentist office and learn about our sedation dentistry options.