October is the scariest of months, even here in relaxing, laid back Melbourne. But for many people haunted houses, ghouls, shrimpy goblins begging for candy, and the other accoutrements of Halloween don’t scare them a bit.
But tell them they have a dentist appointment in the morning and now they’re shaking as if they’re living in Hill House!
And, while everyone at Implant Dentistry of Florida is friendly and nice, we know some people are simply scared of the dentist. That’s why we offer sedation dentistry, to take the edge off for those patients.
What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry basically provides our anxious patients with a way to overcome their fear and uneasiness. It involves the use of medications to help patients relax during dental procedures.
What are the different medications used for sedation?
At Implant Dentistry of Florida, Dr. Brown was trained in intravenous conscious sedation at Georgetown University Hospital and in the U.S. Air Force. He has a license from the State of Florida Board of Dentistry to administer moderate sedation. These are the sedation options we offer our patients:
• If the patient prefers to be minimally sedated with gas, nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is used. Nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen and the patient inhales it through a mask placed over the nose. The gas wears off quickly and the patient can drive himself home following the procedure.
• Oral sedation is the most common form of dental sedation and it can be minimal to moderate. The patient takes a pill usually about 30 minutes before the procedure. The pill makes the patient drowsy. We offer a few different sedatives, including the anti-anxiety agents Valium, Lorazepam, and Halcion.
• IV sedation is our highest level of sedation. It is administered by Dr. Brown through an intravenous line in the arm or hand. While the patient is under sedation, our staff continuously monitors blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, blood pressure, and heart rhythm. The patient is conscious and able to respond to commands but is in a state of extreme relaxation. A pleasant side effect of IV sedation is the patient has no memory of the procedure afterwards.
Leave the scary stuff to the AMC horror marathon on your TV. There’s no reason to fear your appointments at Implant Dentistry of Florida thanks to our sedation dentistry offerings. Call us at (321) 372-7700 to make your next appointment.