At Museum Smiles in downtown Fort Worth, Dr. Sheri Audu understands how common it is for patients to experience some degree of dental phobia or anxiety. For many of these patients, conscious sedation will help ease their discomfort and allow for much-need oral healthcare.
If you have questions about the types of dental sedation available at Museum Smiles, please call 817-870-5099 to speak with one of our friendly team members.
Are You a Sedation Dentistry Candidate?
Although many people feel nervous about seeing the dentist, and that’s quite normal, other people experience an intense fear or anxiety spurred by the possibility of dental work. These patients may:
- Fear needles, drills or other dental instruments
- Have had a traumatic dental experience in the past
- Suffer from extreme teeth sensitivity
- Have difficulty being numbed
- Be aggravated and uncomfortable with the foreign smells, noises and tastes
Studies suggest that as many as 15 percent of Americans, or nearly 40 million people, and as many as 35 percent of people worldwide suffer from dental phobia or anxiety. Dental sedation can be an ideal solution for these people, particularly once they have neglected much-needed dental treatment because of negative feelings about going to the dentist.
Types of Sedation at Our Fort Worth Office
Dr. Audu is pleased to offer conscious sedation to manage a patient’s dental anxiety or phobia and allow for proper dental healthcare. Sedation dentistry is not new. In fact, for more than a century, dentists and doctors have relied on some type of sedative when patients are unable to relax.
Today, advances in dentistry mean that well-trained, contemporary dentists such as Dr. Audu in Fort Worth can receive the necessary accreditation to safely use sedation to treat patients.
Dental sedation, which is now used by dentists all over the world, has been proven safe and effective. Depending on the extent of the work being done and the needs of the individual patient, we offer the following sedation dentistry options:
- Oral Sedation. This is a pill, and is the mildest type of sedation that we administer at Museum Smiles. This solution works well for patients who are afraid of needles, or whom simply feel anxious about undergoing dental work. Generally, one pill is taken the night before your appointment, then another about an hour prior to your dental work.
- Nitrous Oxide. Also known as inhalation sedation or “laughing gas,” this is a step up from oral sedative in terms of potency. To administer this type of sedation, a mask is placed over the patient's nose. Dr. Audu will then adjust the sedation level based on the needs of the individual. Once the patient’s dental work is complete, Dr. Audu follows up with a dose of pure oxygen, which has the effect of easing the patient out of sedation in a matter of minutes.
The first step to determine which type of sedation may be right for you is to have a conversation with Dr. Audu. To learn about dental sedation and your particular dental care needs, please contact Museum Smiles in downtown Fort Worth at 817-870-5099.
Schedule a Sedation Dentistry Consultation Today!
When you book a personalized consultation with our office, Dr. Sheri Audu will answer any questions you have regarding Sedation Dentistry. After determining whether you are a candidate for the procedure, Dr. Audu and the Museum Smiles team can walk you through the process of of arranging your Sedation Dentistry appointment. Call 817-870-5099 or click here to send us a Consultation Request Form. We look forward to serving you!
