When it comes to fear and anxiety about the dentist, we understand… the struggle is real. Your mouth is very personal and sensitive, so we don’t take it personally. But we do know how important regular dental care is for your oral and overall health and quality of life. That’s why we do everything we can to make your time with us relaxed and comfortable, including an array of sedation options to help your stress melt away—and change how you feel about the dentist!
At Chisholm Trail Dental, we have a number of options to suit varying levels of fear and anxiety, depending on your individual needs. For mild to moderate anxiety and routine visits, we recommend nitrous oxide, which is light enough to wear off after your appointment, so you can drive yourself home. For more moderate anxiety, we recommend oral sedation, which comes in the form of a prescription sedative you take before your appointment. We also offer IV sedation for severe cases and major procedures.
For sedation heavier than nitrous (oral sedation and IV sedation), we require you to have transportation to and from your appointment to ensure you get home safely. You should have a loved one stay with you until the effects wear off.
Schedule NowThe lines between sedation and general anesthesia can be blurred at times, but they serve two distinct purposes. General anesthesia is designed to block pain receptors and put you “all the way under” or in an unconscious state that requires assisted breathing and heart rate monitoring. At Chisholm Trail Dental, we’re one of few general dental practices that can provide general anesthesia in-house. We bring in our trusted anesthesiologist to help with general anesthesia for surgical procedures. We have two large private surgical suites where we provide IV sedation, general anesthesia, and oral surgeries.
Sedation, on the other hand, is not necessarily designed to prevent pain or knock you out, but to put you in a more calm, relaxed state. Each type of sedation produces varying levels of effects, but you will remain generally conscious and able to respond to the doctor during treatment—although many patients relax and fall asleep on their own. Sedation does not require assisted breathing and is designed to put you in a relaxed, waking dreamlike state. Sedation does produce some amnesic effects, so the details of your appointment will be fuzzy, and you will be all taken care of before you can say, “aah!”
If you’re one of millions suffering from dental fear or anxiety, or other barriers make dental care difficult (gag reflex, TMJ pain, physical disability, etc.), we would love to speak with you about our sedation options and general anesthesia. Schedule a consultation with your Benbrook sedation dentists, Drs. Ryan and Cindy Knight today to take the first step to put dental fear behind you.
Get In Touch With Us