Many Americans have anxieties and fears associated with the dental office. While some are explainable, such as negative past experiences, others are not. Children and adults of all ages can suffer from anxieties that can keep them from getting the dental care they need and deserve. This is why Dr. Kent of Smile Center offers various levels of sedation dentistry. From deep IV sedation to laughing gas, Buffalo area residents can use sedation dentistry to obtain the dental treatment they need to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.
One commonly used form of sedation is laughing gas. Buffalo residents both young and old can utilize laughing gas to calm down and relax. Laughing gas is administered as a gas that is breathed in through the nose, and can almost immediately make a patient feel cool, calm, and collected. For children, the feeling is often compared to that of a dose of Benadryl, while for adults; it can be the equivalent feeling of several glasses of wine. While some patients may laugh, giggle, and feel extremely at ease, others may just fall asleep because they are so relaxed. Each patient is different, but Dr. Kent is happy to offer this as a relaxation technique as it can allow both patient and dentist to get through the appointment faster and with much less anxiety and fear.
Laughing gas is removed from the system by allowing the patient to breathe in oxygen after their treatment is complete. This rids the body of the laughing gas and allows them to return to their normal state. Patients are able to drive themselves to and from their appointment when undergoing laughing gas sedation treatment, and can go about their day without any side effects or unusual feelings. This is perfect for anyone who needs light sedation to get through a cleaning or short procedure.
For patients with extreme anxiety, other sedation methods may be used. Dr. Kent can consult with patients before their dental treatment to determine the best sedation method for them. Patients can discuss their concerns, and Dr. Kent can match the patient with the proper sedation treatment to ease their worries and help them enjoy their dental visits instead of dreading them!