Anxiety about going to the dentist is common, but it doesn’t have to mean skipping professional dental care and neglecting oral health. Sedation dentistry offers an excellent alternative and comes in numerous forms, including general anesthesia where the patient is asleep for the procedure’s duration. Here’s how to tell if it’s the solution for you.

How Do You Know If Sedation Dentistry Is Right for You?

1. Problems Getting Numb

Perhaps you have issues becoming numb from local anesthesia because of extra-sensitive oral nerves. Difficulty numbing not only prolongs a procedure, but it also makes the experience uncomfortable. Sedation dentistry eliminates these issues to significantly reduce stress from visiting the dentist.

2. Dental Phobia

If you were frightened by the dentist as a child or received a stressful emergency procedure in the past and have reservations about returning, ask about sedation dentistry. Even if you did not have an upsetting experience, the sounds, tastes, and smells associated with dental work may be unpleasant. Sedation dentistry guards against the slightest discomfort while letting you get the care you need to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

3. Strong Gag Reflex

This reflex makes it difficult to receive dental work, especially on rear molars. The tools dentists and hygienists use to remove plaque and tartar can trigger this impulse, as can flossing. Sedation dentistry relaxes the body for professional teeth cleanings, fillings, root canals, cosmetic work, and other services.

4. Multiple Procedures

Sedation dentistry also provides a viable solution when you require extensive dental work, such as surgery for wisdom teeth extraction and gum grafting for recessed tissue. General anesthesia allows the dentist to work without interruption, so you do not have to schedule several procedures over weeks or months.

If sedation dentistry sounds like a sound solution, talk to the dentists at Four Corners Dental Group. Featuring convenient locations in Anchorage and Wasilla, AK, this family dentistry center offers affordable care, including cosmetic and emergency dentistry. Call (907) 258-3384 (Anchorage) or (907) 376-2790 (Wasilla) today to schedule an appointment. Visit them online for additional information and follow the practice on Twitter to add dental health tips to your feed.