Published: 06/21/2017

Periodontist, Dr. Green and the rest of the Matthews Periodontics team are leaders in sedation dentistry in Matthews, NC, and are open to finding new ways to help patients cope with their dental anxiety. Take a moment to learn more about overcoming your anxiety and giving your teeth and gums the attention they need.

Helping Our Patients Cope With Their Fear

During your first appointment, please inform the staff of any reservations or anxiety about the day’s procedure. You may qualify for sedation dentistry if you experience any of the following:

  • Slow response to local anesthetic or numbing agents
  • Fear of needles or shots
  • Extremely sensitive teeth
  • High anxiety or panic attacks
  • Sensitive gag reflex

Depending on your needs, you can receive a variety of sedation techniques. Your dentist will explain each method in full during your visit, but take a minute to familiarize some of our options.

Oral Sedation

Some patients have a serious fear of needles and syringes, making intravenous (IV) anesthesia all but impossible. Instead, we offer these patients an oral sedative, taken one hour before the procedure, which causes drowsiness and calms the patient. Once completely relaxed, the procedure can begin.

IV Conscious Sedation

For more extreme cases of dental anxiety, IV conscious sedation allows the patient to remain awake, yet completely relaxed. Additionally, conscious sedation causes total amnesia of the procedure, leaving no memory of the experience.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide gas (N2O), or laughing gas, neutralizes pain receptors and causes feelings of euphoria. As a result, it is commonly used to help patients who struggle through more painful procedures.

Local Anesthesia

The use of a local anesthetic is common for those who have sensitive teeth and gums or need to undergo a painful procedure. In this method, a local anesthetic, typically Lidocaine, is inject directly into the cheek or gums.

If you struggle with dental anxiety, find the experts in sedation dentistry in Matthews, NC and give us a call today.

Talk to US About an Appointment