Excellent oral care habits are the best way to keep your smile healthy and beautiful and prevent painful and destructive infections, and routine dental checkups are a crucial part of a proper teeth maintenance regimen. Unfortunately, many people are anxious or fearful about seeing their dentists due to previous bad experiences, negative portrayals in the media, or simply disliking the treatment process. Here’s a quick look at how oral conscious sedation can make your dental appointments easier and how much this treatment can cost.
Why Is Visiting My Dentist So Important?
Some people are under the impression that they only need to see a dentist if their teeth are hurting, but this attitude can leave an individual vulnerable to preventable oral infections that can be quite painful as well as expensive to treat. Regular dental visits allow a qualified oral health professional to monitor your teeth and gums, address problems in their early stages, and recommend better hygiene habits. This makes dental checkups one of the best ways to prevent oral pain as well as serious health issues like abscesses and tooth loss.
What Is Oral Conscious Sedation?
Oral conscious sedation can be an excellent way to make routine oral healthcare or restorative or cosmetic procedures more comfortable for those with issues like:
- Severe dental anxiety or phobia
- An oversensitive gag reflex
- Discomfort holding the mouth open for prolonged periods
- Being scheduled for especially long appointments
- Health conditions that make it difficult to sit still in the treatment chair
Oral conscious sedation involves your dentist prescribing a small pill to be taken about thirty minutes before your appointment. This will allow the effects to begin before your treatment starts so you will remain in a calm, relaxed state throughout your checkup or procedure. Since the sedative will last for several hours after your appointment, you will need to arrange for a trusted individual to drive you to and from the dental office and monitor you for a while afterward.
How Much Does Oral Conscious Sedation Cost?
Oral conscious sedation typically costs between $200 and $300, and it is rarely covered by insurance. However, there may be exceptions, especially if the patient has special needs that make it difficult for them to remain still and calm in the treatment chair. Receiving necessary dental care can also help you avoid serious oral health problems that require costly restorative treatments, so sedation dentistry may be an excellent investment in your comfort and the well-being of your smile.
Don’t let dental anxiety keep you from receiving the preventative care you need to stay healthy. Consulting with your dentist can help you find out if sedation is right for you.
About the Author
Dr. Bryan Villescas earned his dental degree at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine and has accumulated more than 400 hours of surgical training at the Advanced Dental Implant Institute. He also continues his education through coursework provided by the Academy of General Dentistry, Spear Education, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. His office in Port Charlotte offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as sedation services. To learn more about dental sedation, contact him online or dial (941) 627-9900.