At Cormier Family Dentistry we do our best to make our offices inviting and pleasant to visit for all of our patients. However, no matter how comfortable we make our Shreveport office, many patients still harbor anxiety about visiting the dentist. Because of these anxieties, patients who need dental attention often avoid timely and appropriate care. This neglect often exacerbates existing dental problems and can even create additional problems.

Oral Conscious Sedation provides patients with relief from these anxieties allowing them to receive the care and attention they require.

What is Oral Conscious Sedation?

During oral conscious sedation you remain conscious, but are placed into an extremely relaxed state. Many patient doze off because they are in such a deep state of relaxation during their procedures and wake up with little to no memory of the treatment. However you do remain responsive in your state of relaxation.

Through conscious oral sedation we are able to provide multiple necessary procedures in one visit limiting your time in the dentist’s chair. Some patients receive several years of treatment in as few as one or two visits.

Oral conscious sedation works well for any number of dental procedures from general teeth cleaning to more involved procedures like root canals or extractions. The sedation works to ease your nerves and anxiety allowing us to take care of your dental needs with easy.

What happens when I am sedated?

We will give you a pill to take an hour prior to your procedure. Because the pill will take effect before you arrive at our offices, we ask that you arrange for a friend or family member to drive and accompany you to your appointment. By the time you arrive at our Shreveport office you will be very drowsy and unable to operate a motor vehicle.

Once you arrive at our office, we will escort you to a bed where we will hook you up to machines that will monitor your vitals throughout your treatment. We will place you under a comfortable warm blanket and encourage you to relax. A member of our team will always be with you to monitor your vital signs and ensure your safety and health while we attend to your dental care needs.

Once your dental work is completed, you must have a family member or companion drive you home. The after effects of the drug may leave you drowsy or groggy for a few hours after your procedure. Once the effect of the pill wears off, usually with two to six hours, you will feel back to normal again.

Is oral conscious sedation right for me?

Prior to oral conscious sedation patients must come into our office to complete a complete health history and evaluation to ensure that sedation process does not pose a health risk.

Patients seek oral conscious sedation as a solution to remove the dread of going to the dentist. Patients with fear of the dentist, those with a previous poor experience with another dentist, and those who are resistant to normal anesthetics all seek oral conscious sedation to help ease anxiety about their dental visits. Likewise those with disruptive gag reflexes, overly sensitive teeth, and those with complicated dental issues seek oral conscious sedation to make their procedures easier and to improve their outcomes.

If you find yourself avoiding necessary dental work due to anxiety about going to the dentist, please call us to discuss your options for sedation dentistry. Dental problems left unattended only become worse. Call us today at 318-868-4072 to set-up an appointment today!