Are you afraid of the big bad wolf? I'm talking about dentists and how they are generally seen as the enemy. I know I've had dentists over the years that I would have loved to take a swing at. The truth is, dentists tend to get a bad rap unnecessarily. These guys only want to give you a great looking smile and help to enrich your life. In the old days, dentists didn't have much to work with other than just yanking out teeth. Now that dentistry has modernized it's nearly painless, even for some major procedures. Having a sedation dentist is one way you can help yourself to be anxiety free at your next appointment. In this article I will cover the different types of sedation used and how you can find the best sedation dentists.

Dentophobia is the fear of dental care and dentists. It doesn't matter how you became fearful what's important is you face your fear.
One way of beating this phobia is with the help of your dentist and through conscious sedation dentistry. Simply put, sedation dentistry is used for patients who are afraid of their dentists. Your dentist uses sedatives (IV sedation, oral sedatives, and "laughing gas") to help you relax so you are not so anxious about your dental work. Let's take a look at the different types of sedation.

The heaviest sedation is intravenous sedation, also called IV sedation dentistry. With this sedation method, medicine is injected into a vein in your arm using a needle. After a few minutes you become less aware of what is going on around you and sometimes don't know that your dentist is already working fast to give the smile you've always dreamed of. Although you will not be asleep during the procedure, most patients only vaguely remember what happened during their visit with the doctor.
This type of sedation is an excellent choice for many patients who have been traumatized by previous dental experiences or had past experience with local anesthetics not numbing completely. Using IV sedation is also a common practice dentists use to get more work done in less time.

Oral sedation dentistry is the most common sedation method used in the U.S. Depending on your anxiety or fear level your doctor may prescribe an oral sedative (pills) to help you relax before your scheduled appointment. There are several medicines used, Diazepam or Benzodiazepine are the most commonly used in the U.S. These drugs are used to relieve anxiety and make you feel calm.
Oral sedatives, like the ones mentioned above, do not numb or deaden your mouth so a local anesthetic will be administered after you are feeling relaxed. Unlike the IV method, you will be awake for the procedure although you will not feel anything after the anesthesia takes effect.
The lightest form of sedation is Nitrous Oxide, widely known as laughing gas. This gas is a mixture of Nitrous Oxide and oxygen administered through a mask. This type of sedative is usually used on patients who have a mild anxiety level to dental work. If you are afraid of needles and need to have an IV sedative, talk to your doctor about having the laughing gas sedative first. After the gas relaxes you and you no longer care about your fear of needles, your dentist can then administer the IV sedative.
As with the oral sedative, laughing gas will only relax your nerves; a local anesthetic will be give once the Nitrous Oxide has kicked in.   

The best way to insure you get a pain free dental appointment starts with the dentist you choose. Most of us grow up using the same dentist we’ve always used since childhood, but it is important that we take a few steps back from time to time and evaluate how well our dentist really is. Is your dentist qualified to administer the type of sedatives you feel you should be using? If not, you should certainly find yourself a new dentist.
To start looking for a great sedation dentist in your area, visit some of the very informative dentist review websites. In the online world, you are connected to millions of people. Their thoughts and opinions are important when deciding on a new dentist. I certainly would like to know if the dentist I am going to see has a good “chair side manner” or not. These review sites are run much like a forum. People sign up and then post their review about their dentist, the good and the bad. Members frequently post before and after photos also, which can be very helpful when choosing a dentist.
If you have looked online and still aren’t convinced, why not ask the people closest to you? Ask friends, family, and coworkers who their dentist is. This is a great way to get much needed information about local dentists because people you know will feel more comfortable telling you the details of their last dental appointment.

As with any procedure where sedatives will be used, be sure to get all the facts, risks, and details. Ask your dentist to clarify things you do not understand and always remember to bring someone with you so you do not have to drive yourself home afterwards.
The days of fearing your dentist and his chair are over. If you educate yourself, talk to your doctor about your fears, and work with him you can both come to an agreement on what sedation method is best for you. You can have that beautiful smile you’ve always dreamed of and you can get it without the pain.