Do you or a loved one have dental anxiety? Does the thought of visiting the dentist, even for a routine appointment, fill you with fear? Dental anxiety is very common, but if it’s actively discouraging you from attending regular checkups or seeking necessary treatment, it’s a serious problem. We know how important it is to feel comfortable with your dental care. Dr. Michael Courter provides sedation dentistry for patients in his North Midland, TX dental office.
Dental sedation is a safe way to help you feel calm and relaxed during dental visits. It uses medicine to reduce fear, anxiety, or discomfort while you get the care you need. Sedation does not always put you fully to sleep. You may be awake but very relaxed, or you may not remember much of the procedure afterward. Dr. Courter offers nitrous oxide sedation and oral conscious sedation for patients who are nervous or have trouble sitting still.
The Benefits of Sedation Dentistry in our Midland, TX Office
Dental sedation may be used for a variety of patients, not just those with dental fear or anxiety. Sedation benefits:
- Patients with special needs or disabilities
- Those with a fear of dental drills/sensitivity to loud noises
- Patients with surgical or complex dental procedures
- Those with severe anxiety or fear of the dentist
Sedation also offers these advantages in our office. Dental sedation:
- Allows our dentists to provide treatment without interruption
- Helps patients get important dental care
- Offers comfortable treatment
- Allows for multiple treatments
Contact our office if you’ve avoided visiting the dentist. Our friendly dental team has created a judgment-free space where patients can feel confident about addressing their dental needs. Let us know how we can accommodate you.
How We Ensure Your Safety Under Sedation
Sedation is a helpful tool that makes dental visits more comfortable, but it’s natural to wonder about safety. At our North Midland, TX dental office, your health and well-being are always our top priorities. Dr. Courter and his team are trained to provide safe sedation options and carefully monitor patients throughout treatment.
During your appointment, we keep track of your vital signs, including your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. This allows us to make sure you remain safe and stable at all times. If needed, we can adjust or stop the sedation to keep you comfortable.
With nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, safety is built into the process. Once your treatment is complete, we simply provide pure oxygen through the mask. This clears the gas from your system within minutes, helping you feel alert and ready to go home.
With oral conscious sedation, we carefully control the dosage and timing to match your needs. While the effects take longer to wear off compared to nitrous oxide, they are still very safe under supervision. Our team stays with you the entire time to ensure that you remain relaxed and able to respond to simple instructions.
Common Methods of Dental Sedation
We offer two types of dental sedation to calm and relax our patients: nitrous oxide or “laughing gas”, and oral conscious sedation. Dr. Courter will recommend the right type for you based on your procedure, health, and medical history. We’ll review your needs before treatment for the best results.
Nitrous Oxide
Usually, for mild dental anxiety, nitrous oxide helps you stay calm while receiving treatment. Our dentist will place a mask over your nose so that you inhale the safe gas. You’ll start feeling the effects of the gas after just a few minutes. Patients often feel giggly and content during their dental procedures under nitrous oxide.
The effects will wear off very quickly once Dr. Courter removes the mask from your face. This means that you’ll be alert enough to drive yourself home or back to the dental office after your appointment.
Oral-conscious Sedation
This type of sedation involves a pill, which we’ll ask you to take at a certain point before the procedure. The pill will make you very drowsy, although you’ll still be able to follow directions and answer questions.
With this type of sedation, patients may be conscious during treatment but will not remember anything that happened during their procedure. This can be beneficial to patients with strong dental phobias.
Patients will also not feel any pain under oral-conscious sedation. But keep in mind that you’ll need another adult to drive you home after the procedure.
Aftercare
Recovering from dental sedation will keep you comfortable and help you heal after treatment. Your recovery experience will be slightly different depending on the type of sedation you need.
With nitrous oxide, the effects wear off quickly once the gas is turned off. Most patients feel normal within a few minutes and can safely drive themselves home. You may feel a little lightheaded or tingly right after the mask is removed, but this fades quickly. Be sure to follow any instructions from Dr. Courter about eating or drinking afterward. Also, continue brushing and flossing as usual that evening unless we give you different instructions.
With oral conscious sedation, recovery takes longer. Because this type of sedation is taken in pill form, its calming effects can last for several hours after your appointment. You’ll need a trusted friend or family member to drive you home, as it is not safe to operate a vehicle. Once home, plan to rest for the remainder of the day.
Avoid strenuous activity, heavy lifting, or making important decisions until the sedation has fully worn off. Drink plenty of water, eat soft foods if recommended, and give your body time to recover. Feel free to call our office with questions. We’re here to help you feel comfortable in and out of the office.
Contact Our Office for a Consultation
Treat your dental fear and anxiety and take control of your oral health with dental sedation, a general dentistry service. Call Dr. Courter’s Permian Basin dental office at 432-287-9531. You can also request an appointment with us online for sedation dentistry treatment in Midland, TX.
Please let our team know if you have any questions or concerns about your sedation options. We’ll always be happy to help you.