ORAL SEDATION IN TULSA
For Tulsa Dental Center Patients
For patients aged 13 or over, we provide an oral-conscious dental sedation service. This is quite different from general anesthesia, and we’ll explain exactly why we choose Oral Sedation and what it can be used for on this page.
About Dental Sedation
At Tulsa Dental Center, we want our patients to be as comfortable as possible throughout all their dental procedures. By making each procedure as pain-free and relaxing as possible, this helps to decrease any anxiety, a person may feel about their visit or treatments.
Sedation dentistry uses medication to induce a state of relaxation, and although it is sometimes known as ‘sleep dentistry,’ the patient will remain conscious throughout.
Generally speaking, sedation has been used in dentistry for quite a long time. The first type of general anesthesia that was used in dentistry dates all the way back to the 1840s. At this point in time, Nitrous Oxide, also commonly known as ‘laughing gas,’ was used for a range of dental procedures. Since that point, the use of different types of dental sedation has changed, and there are now better options available for the management of pain.
Although oral sedation is not a replacement for numbing agents or local anesthesia, it can be used in combination with other advanced technology methods to give the patient the best levels of comfort through a range of dental procedures.
How Does Oral Sedation Work?
We provide patients with a pill that is taken approximately 1 hour before your treatment. Unlike general anesthesia, you will remain completely conscious throughout. We always ask patients who choose dental sedation to refrain from driving to the dental appointment, and that there is somebody who can collect them once the treatment has taken place.
Oral Sedation vs General Anesthesia?
Practically speaking, general anesthesia and sedation are both types of anesthesia, there are key differences between the two.
Dental patients who opt for general anesthesia can expect to lose complete consciousness during the procedure. This means they will not remember anything at all from the procedure. In order to reach this state, a mixture of agents will usually be required. Careful monitoring is always required to ensure a patient’s cardiovascular functioning is not impaired.
Whereas with sedation, a patient will achieve a deeply relaxed state of mind and may feel sleepy. However, they will remain conscious throughout. This means they will not feel any pain, but they will still remain aware of what is happening around them. The recovery time following dental sedation is almost always much quicker compared with general anesthesia, and the cardiovascular functioning of a person under sedation is not usually affected.
If you want help to decide whether oral sedation or general anesthesia is best, then it is always best to discuss this with our doctor. They can explain the pros and cons of each method and help answer any questions that you might have about your sedation or the dental procedure in person.
What Are The Benefits Of Oral Sedation?
One of the many benefits of oral sedation is that it often enables more dentistry to be carried out in fewer appointments. It can also reduce the time a person spends in a chair as it allows for complex dentistry is often able to be carried out in less time.
However, there are other advantages to dental sedation; here are the most commonly identified reasons people opt for oral sedation.
- No needles – medication is taken orally
- Reduces anxiety about dental procedures by helping patients feel relaxed
- Cost-effective and less expensive than opting for general anesthesia
- Quicker resolutions to dentistry concerns and faster overall treatment times
- The recovery time is lower compared to general anesthesia
What Are The Different Types Of Sedation Offered By Dentists?
Oral Sedation for Dental Anxiety.
If you are one of the many patients who suffer from dental anxiety, then we understand the impact this can have on your willingness or ability to attend routine check-ups, let alone having to face the notion of undergoing dental treatments to help improve your overall dental hygiene.
Dental anxiety is one of the leading reasons that so many people fail to keep a good level of oral health, and it can often result in a minor dental issue that is easily treatable, escalating into a more costly, more troublesome issue.
At Tulsa Dental Center, we understand just how challenging it is to visit a dentist when you suffer from dental anxiety. This is also why we offer dental sedation for patients and how we can confidently say with ease that we are passionate about providing effective, comfortable treatments that are mindful of those who feel uneasy about coming to see us.
If you need to see a dentist but suffer from dental anxiety, you are not alone. Please contact us for an informal chat about how we can make your visit comfortable and support you on your journey to better oral health.
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Office Location
4824 S Union Ave,
Tulsa, OK 74107
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Business Hours
Monday | 8AM - 5PM |
Tuesday | 8AM - 5PM |
Wednesday | 8AM - 5PM |
Thursday | 8AM - 5PM |
Friday | Closed |
Saturday | Closed |
Sunday | Closed |