Tag Archives: oral conscious sedation

Sedation Dentist

Need Advice about a Tooth Extraction

Years ago I had an infected tooth. I avoided the dentist because I have never had a good experience with one. When I could not take the pain anymore, I schedule an appointment. He said the tooth was infected and performed a root canal treatment. I was supposed to schedule a follow-up appointment for the cap, but never did. I probably should have because it seems like the tooth got reinfected. It hurt again and pieces started falling off. I went to another dentist who confirmed the infection. I received quite a lecture about the state of my teeth and not getting regular care. He told me it would be a tough extraction. The best he could offer me was nitrous oxide. If I didn’t think I was able to handle the procedure, he could refer me to an oral surgeon. I was thinking I would go with the oral surgeon. However, it turns out they are a LOT more expensive. Would I be able to get this done with a dentist and it not be an absolute nightmare or do I need to take out a loan and see the oral surgeon?

Imogen

Dear Imogen,

Woman resting in dental chair from dental sedation

I am going to say right off the bat that this dentist you saw will not be the best dentist for you. What you need is compassion and a solution, not a lecture. That does not lend toward helping patients feel comfortable going to the dentist.

You should not have to take out a loan and go to an oral surgeon for this extraction. The right dentist can do this extraction for you. What I think you need is a dentist who offers other, stronger, dental sedations options, such as oral conscious sedation.

They are generally more compassionate with anxious patients than the dentist you just experienced. Let them look at the tooth and tell you whether or not they can do the extraction. My guess is you will find someone. It sounds more like this dentist was out of his comfort level and was trying to push  the blame off on you.

With oral conscious sedation, you are not knocked out, but will be so completely relaxed that you will be able to sleep completely through the procedure if you want to.  Most patients who use dental sedation find it completely changes their life and they are able to get the dental care they have always wanted.

The only downside is, because of its strength, you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, as well as stay with you for a few hours after the procedure. They will want to make certain you are lucid and steady on your feet.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Sedation Dentist

Dentist Cannot Get Me Numb

My dentist tried a paste and seven injections and still could not get me numb. I am in desperate need of a root canal treatment, but the procedure was too excruciating. He ended the appointment and refunded my money. He told me he’d do some research, but I may need to get this extracted surgically with anesthesia if we can’t do the root canal treatment. I really want to save the tooth if possible. He prescribed me some more antibiotics and said he’d be in touch before the prescription runs out. Do you have any way that I can avoid losing this tooth?

Angela

Dear Angela,

Woman resting in dental chair from dental sedation

I am sorry for the horrible experience you went through. The fact that you still want to try and save your tooth says a lot about your character and perseverance.

The good news is I have a solution for you. It sounds like your dentist may not yet be aware of the connection between dental anxiety and the ability to get numb.

When you have a high level of dental anxiety, which many do, your metabolism can burn off the numbing medication before it can be of any use to you.

While you cannot just will your anxiety away, there is a medication that sedation dentists can provide for you that will do it for you. Not only will the medication completely relax you, but if you wanted to you would be able to completely sleep through your entire appointment.  Because of this, some people have dubbed it sleep dentistry.

My suggestion is you see a dentist who offers oral conscious sedation. This is administered by a pill that you will take before your appointment. Be aware that it is strong. In fact, it is so strong you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your appointment. This will be important because you will still be a bit woozy and unsteady on your feet. I would plan on a day of napping or binge-watching your favorite streaming channel.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

 

Pediatric Dentist

Why Fill a Baby Tooth?

Can you tell me why my dentist wants to fill a baby tooth? My son has a cavity on one of his back teeth, but this isn’t his adult tooth. As it is just going to fall out anyway, why should I spend this money and put him through the procedure?

Callie

Dear Callie,

boy smiling with a toothbrush

Nobody wants unnecessary medical or dental procedures so I completely understand your question. While some baby teeth will start to fall out soon, his back molars need to stay in until he is around 12 years of age. You don’t want this cavity to turn into a dental infection. A simple cavity is easy to treat, with little trauma. If the tooth gets infected, you will need a child’s version of a root canal treatment, called a pulpotomy.

In most cases, you will want to prepare ahead of time and possibly even arrange to have oral conscious sedation used during this procedure, so he is as comfortable as possible. If you let the tooth go, it could go downhill fast, which will mean a dental emergency. In that case, oral conscious sedation may not be an option for him which would make the appointment more traumatic for him.

What If He Loses This Tooth?

Another problem with letting the decay continue is that the tooth may become unsaveable. If that happens and it has to be extracted, you will need your pediatric dentist to place a space maintainer in that spot. This will prevent the other teeth from shifting and tipping into that spot.

Without that, the other teeth will drift. This will mean there is not correct placement left for his twelve-year-old molars and will lead to crowding. Crowding means crooked teeth and expensive orthodontics.

A little prevention now by getting this tooth filled can save you and your son a lot of expense and hassle.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Sedation Dentist

Should I Take My Son to a Sedation Dentist

I’m sort of kicking of myself for how my son’s last dental appointment went. He’s been going to my dentist for all his check ups. This last appointment didn’t go so well. He’s six year old and normally does so well. This time, however, he was a bit fidgety. Our dentist said he had a cavity and mentioned that he could take care of it right then. My son melted down and slid out of the chair and started crying. He didn’t let anyone touch him. Now I’m wondering if I should have not tried to bring him to a sedation dentist. Now I am afraid he’ll never cooperate at the dentist again. Did I ruin his view of the dentist by not planning ahead?

Callie Anne

Dear Callie Anne,

Children in a line smiling

I’m glad you wrote. I don’t think you’ve completely ruined your son. Hindsight is always 20/20 so don’t judge yourself too harshly. You obviously care about your son and have been careful to take care of his oral health. It is equally obvious that your dentist is not used to working with children. Had he been familiar with children, he would not have just sprung a new procedure on your son like that. Children need a little bit of preparation for the unfamiliar.

My suggestion to you is similar to what you’ve already figured out. It would help him adjust back to the dentist by having sedation for this filling. I don’t think he would need anything strong, such as oral conscious sedation. Just some nitrous oxide would be enough to relax him enough to be calm and allow the dentist to do the work.

However, I am also going to suggest you look for another dentist for your son. It does not have to be a pediatric dentist. Instead, you could see a general dentist who is good with children. One way to know if they enjoy children is to ask what age they are first willing to see them. If they first see children around two years old, you can know that they enjoy working with children. If they want to wait until they are around five years old, then I would look for someone else.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Best Dentist in Lafayette

Dentist Is Growing Frustrated with Me

I have problems in the dental chair. I don’t know what it is but every time the dentist or hygienist comes at me with something sharp looking, I can’t help but wiggle and sometimes even have trouble breathing. I thought my dentist was understanding. We’d had a couple of appointments where he waited for me to calm down. However, at my third appointment, he said, “You’re an adult and should be able to handle this by now.” I was so embarrassed. I know I’m an adult. I know I should be able to handle this by now. But, I don’t know any solutions. Have you had patients who’ve struggled as I do?

MaryAnne

Dear MaryAnne,

Woman resting from dental sedation

I am going to tell you right off the bat that your current dentist is not going to be the best dentist for you. To be frank, he was rude and insensitive to your very real anxiety in the dental chair. Adult or not, many patients are uncomfortable in the dental chair, some so much that they can’t even go and end up only going in for dental emergencies.

I don’t know where you live, but what I would like you to look for someone who considers themself a sedation dentist. Not only will they be compassionate, instead of rude and judgmental, but they also have the tools to give you an anxiety-free/pain-free dental appointment.

What Type of Sedation is Best?

My recommendation is to start with the lowest level of sedation that is useful to you. The lowest level is nitrous oxide, which people used to call laughing gas for the floaty, happy feeling it can give you. This will relax you in the dental chair. A benefit to nitrous is that you can get right back on with your day once your appointment is completed.

For invasive procedures, I recommend oral conscious sedation. This is administered by pill. However, it is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your dental appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours after your procedure until you are lucid and steady on your feet. Most people find they completely sleep through their procedure, leading some to dub it sleep dentistry.

Look for a dentist who offers these options and I think you will find your life changed.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimessch.

Sedation Dentist

Dentist Cut Me and I Want a Refund?

My last dental appointment was a disaster. I needed a crown on one tooth and a dental filling on another tooth. It was a two-hour procedure that went from bad to worse, he splashed some type of chemical that got in my eye and burned like mad. Then, he cut my lip with a dental tool. As if that was not enough, he then slipped with the dental drill and cut my tongue. In all this, not only did he not once apologize, but he tried to blame me. He said that none of it would have happened if I would have stayed still like I was supposed to. Is there a way to get a refund from this jerk?

Sunny W.

Dear Sunny,

Woman resting from dental sedation

Unfortunately, though he seems to have very poor skills, I don’t think you’ll be able to get a refund…or an apology. A lawsuit would not really be worth your time or money because I don’t think you could demonstrate there has been enough damage to even cover the cost of the suit. The only thing you can do is write a review warning other potential patients about his lack of abilities and consideration. That will make a dent in his business.

As for the wiggling. Even if you were wiggling, he could have stopped and figured out why you were so uncomfortable so the procedure could have continued safely. My suggestion is for your next dentist you look for someone who is a sedation dentist. They can offer you medication that will completely relax you for the duration of your procedure.

Some options are mild, such as nitrous oxide which allows you to get on with your day as soon as the procedure is completed. If you want something stronger, I’d recommend oral conscious sedation. Though it is administered with a pill, it is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment as well as stay with you for several hours after the procedure. You will be loopy and unsteady on your feet.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Sedation Dentist

Can’t Get Numb At Dentist

I have always had a hard time getting numb at the dentist. My last appointment was no different. In fact, I would call it torture. I’m about to give up and just extract all my teeth and get dentures. Before I do that, though, I just wanted to check and see if you have ever encountered this with other patients. If so, did you find a solution for them?

Jason

Dear Jason,

Man in pain in need of an emergency dentist

Please don’t extract all of your teeth. Dentures cause more problems than they solve. I do have a solution for you. Many dentists are not aware of the connection between dental anxiety and numbing medication. The higher the anxiety, the less effective the medication. There is something that happens to your metabolism with fear that kicks in and tends to burn off the numbing medication before it has a chance to really work for you.

The key is to make certain the patient is completely relaxed before administering the Novocaine so that it has a chance to really kick in. What you need is a sedation dentist. These dentists are used to working with anxious patients and have medication that can help you relax.

In your case, I am going to suggest you use oral conscious sedation. This is administered by a pill. However, it will relax you so much that you could sleep through your entire procedure.

Patients who’ve used oral conscious sedation have their lives changed and their ability to get their dental care done in a pain-free manner restored. Additionally, because you can sleep, your dentist can get more work done at each sitting.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Sedation Dentist

Twelve Shots to Get Numb?

I recently had a lower second molar extracted. The appointment was a nightmare. First, it took twelve shots for him to get me numb. How he could miss the area that many times is beyond me. Then, I had a bone spur in the area that took the dentist over thirty minutes to get. Now, I seem to have a sharp edge on the extraction site. I’ve sort of lost confidence in this dentist. Can you tell me if this is normal or if I need to have another procedure done to deal with this?

Cassidy

Dear Cassidy,

Woman holding her jaw in pain

I would find it hard to think any dentist would actually miss the spot that many times. The more likely scenario is that you had some dental anxiety going in and, as a result, your body was fighting the local anesthetic.

Unfortunately, not enough dentists currently understand the connection between dental anxiety and the inability to get numb. I am going to recommend for your next appointment where you need any work done you see a sedation dentist. Even just some nitrous oxide will help relax you, which in turn enables the anesthetic to do its work.

For those with a more severe level of anxiety, I recommend oral conscious sedation. While it is administered by a pill, it is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your dental appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours afterward until you are lucid and steady on your feet again. Most people who use oral conscious sedation sleep through their appointment.

As for the bony ridge. sharp edges do show up during the healing process. You don’t notice them at first because your gums are swollen. As the swelling goes down the ridges appear. If it stays a problem, your dentist can clip it.

One thing I want to make sure your dentist addressed is the need to replace that second molar. If you leave the space open, your other teeth can drift or tip into the space, which will throw off your bite. That can lead to painful TMJ Disorder.

If you want the best tooth replacement, I’d look into a dental implant. However, you do have other options.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Drs. Foreman and Thimmesch.

Pediatric Dentist

Numbing Medicine Doesn’t Work On My Daughter

My seven-year-old daughter developed a cavity on a back tooth, which is weird because they have sealings. I took her in for them to do the filling and they could not get the numbing medicine to work. She is in agony and ended up thrashing about. He did seven shots to no avail. He finally just sent her home without the tooth dealt with. Where do I go from here?

Maggie

Dear Maggie,

Little girl smiling in a dental chair

I am sorry you and your daughter had to go through this. It is agony watching our children suffer. The good news is I have a solution. It appears that your current pediatric dentist is not aware of the connection between anxiety and numbing medication.

If a patient is very anxious, it has the effect of metabolizing the numbing medication very quickly. Sometimes so quickly that the patient gets no benefit out of it. I feel this was what happened to your daughter. Traumatic experiences like this are what keep people away from the dentist in adulthood.

Our goals right now for her are two-fold. First, get the cavity dealt with before it blows up into something more substantial or even a dental emergency. Two, give her a positive experience at the dentist so she can feel good about her oral health care.

I want you to find a dentist who is good with children that also offers dental sedation. It doesn’t have to be a pediatric dentist. There are many general dentists who enjoy treating children and are qualified.

Under normal conditions, she would only need some nitrous oxide to relax her. However, after her recent experience, I am concerned that will not be enough. Look for someone who offers oral conscious sedation. It is so strong that she will sleep through her whole procedure. In fact, some people call it sleep dentistry for that reason. She is still conscious. This is not anesthesia. It just completely relaxes her which will allow that numbing medication to do its job.

Be aware that she will still be woozy for a few hours after that procedure. You might want to set her up a little castle on the couch and let her binge watch something like “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” which will entertain her while simultaneously realizing her life isn’t so bad.

As for her sealants. Sometimes those will come off. Make sure you have the dentist check that the others are still intact.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentists Dr. Foreman and Thimmesch.