
Is just the thought of going to the dentist enough to make you feel nervous? If so, you’re far from alone. We see anxious patients every day here at Premier Dental, and our warm and friendly team are usually enough to help someone relax. For those with more severe dental phobia, however, we’re happy to provide sedation dentistry. This approach is proven to lessen unwanted thoughts and prevent physical discomfort while in the chair so that absolutely every patient can look forward to a calm and cool experience whenever they come to see us with sedation dentistry in Vero Beach.

Need just a little help to “take the edge off” of your dental nerves? If you struggle with dental-related anxiety, then you know all too well how nerve-wracking even routine dental cleanings can be. Don’t worry, there is a way to get the essential dental treatments you need without the stress: nitrous oxide sedation. Nitrous oxide is as effective as it is gentle, and it’s been safely used by dentists around the world for over a century. Essentially, this mild sedative allows patients to take the edge off dental nervousness to receive the care they need.

Nitrous oxide sedation is a highly-tested and safe method of helping nervous and anxious patients feel comfortable in the treatment chair. Most often, it’s used to help those who:
To determine if you are a candidate, our knowledgeable and friendly sedation dentist in Vero Beach will review your medical and dental history. Although nitrous oxide is suitable for a wide range of patients, it’s not ideal for everyone, like expecting mothers.

At Premier Dental, our team takes pride in providing gentle dentistry. If you need a little extra help staying calm in the treatment chair, then one of our friendly dental professionals will place a comfortable nasal mask over your nose. First, you will breathe in only oxygen. Then, we will use the knobs next to you to allow the nitrous oxide to flow. Within a few minutes, this clear, odorless gas will begin to take effect, making you feel a sense of relaxation and calmness. Once you’re completely at ease, we will begin your treatment.

One of the biggest perks of nitrous oxide sedation in Vero Beach is you don’t have to worry about feeling groggy for the rest of the day – the effects will wear off as quickly as they came on. At the end of your treatment, we will adjust the knobs to begin administering only oxygen again. You will start to feel the effects subside. After a minute or two, you’ll feel normal again, allowing you to continue your day as you usually would!

When a patient expresses moderate dental anxiety or is undergoing multiple dental procedures during one appointment, oral conscious sedation in Vero Beach can be an ideal way to ensure a more pleasant experience. Delivered in the form of a prescribed pill, an individual can rest assured they will feel fully relaxed and at ease during their appointment. With no fear of pain or anxiety looming, our team can better care for a person’s oral healthcare needs, which are crucial for long-term success.

Oral conscious sedation is a form of treatment that is recommended for individuals who suffer from mild to moderate dental anxiety. This pill-form medication is easy to take and delivers effects in minimal time so that patients can begin to feel relaxed before they reach the dentist’s office. While some individuals might wonder if they will be fully sedated, the answer is no. Instead, patients will remain just enough aware of their surroundings that they will be able to adequately respond to any cues or instructions provided by our dental team.

Our dentists can prescribe a patient an oral sedative to take at home on the day of their appointment so they can become fully relaxed from head to toe by the time they reach our dental office. While in the chair, the patient will likely remain awake, but the appointment will seem to go by very fast, and they’ll probably only have fuzzy memories afterward. We typically recommend this for people who are terrified of the dentist or need a more involved procedure.

Determining whether a person is a good candidate for oral conscious sedation requires that a scheduled consultation occur. It is during this visit that our sedation dentist in Vero Beach will perform a thorough examination and ask detailed questions about the person’s medical history. Because certain medications that are currently being taken might cause problems with sedation, it’s necessary that patients do not be afraid to divulge their medical history and any medicines that are being taken to treat a particular issue or condition.
However, most patients who inquire about oral conscious sedation may be good candidates, especially if they suffer from any of the following:

If fear, anxiety, or discomfort is keeping you from getting the routine dental care or treatments you need, then we encourage you to contact us today to learn more about sedation dentistry. Dental sedation is not a good choice for everyone, but the majority of patients can benefit from one of our available options. To discover if sedation dentistry is right for you and which type could help you feel most comfortable during your appointment, come visit us for a consultation!
Sedation dentistry is perfectly safe for most patients. Almost everyone can receive nitrous oxide without any problems because it has no long-term side effects and is eliminated from the body within minutes after treatment. However, the first step to receiving dental sedation is to have a consultation with our dentist so they can evaluate your medical history and list of current medications to make sure you can receive the treatment without complications. When you are sedated, the team at Premier Dental will carefully monitor your vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels to ensure your safety.
The drugs used in dental sedation may pass to the fetus through the placenta, and receiving oral conscious sedation during the first or third trimester may lead to issues like developmental problems or premature labor. Accordingly, sedation is usually safest for pregnant women during the second trimester, but we may recommend simply waiting to perform any treatments that require sedation until after the pregnancy is over. It’s generally best to use the least invasive and most conservative treatment possible for pregnant patients, so we’ll probably recommend nitrous oxide if sedation is necessary.
While you will be technically awake, you may struggle to remember the details of your procedure afterward if you are receiving oral conscious sedation. Patients receiving nitrous oxide, on the other hand, should be able to remember most of their procedures with a fair degree of clarity. For patients who suffer with severe dental anxiety, this amnesiac side effect may prevent the formation of stressful memories that make it difficult to receive necessary dental care later.
While you have probably watched scenes of dental patients receiving sedation treatments doing or saying embarrassing things on television or in movies, these depictions are not true to life. It is extremely unlikely that you will reveal any sensitive information during the treatment, and people in a state of sedation are not considered to be reliable sources of information anyway. In the unlikely event that you do say something silly while sedated, the team at Premier Dental will respect your privacy and not discuss what was said afterward.
While dental sedation is sometimes called “sleep dentistry,” the treatments offered at Premier Dental will not make you pass out or lose consciousness. However, you may feel like you fell asleep afterward since dental sedation can sometimes leave you with a fuzzy memory of your treatment. While you may doze off during oral conscious sedation, we’ll be sure to gently nudge you awake if this happens.