Your Path to Wellness: Take the First Step Now

Dental Anxiety
Dental Anxiety is a big deal and should be addressed for patients of all ages. Younger patients who fear the dentist and don’t feel comfortable during visits are likely to develop a lifelong phobia of dental treatment. This will only lead to their avoidance of the dentist, which can result in major dental issues later in life. Let us help every member of your family experience relaxed dental care.
Feel Relaxed During Any Treatment with Our Dental Sedation Treatments.
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Inhaled Sedation
Also referred to by Dr. James as “relaxing air,” inhaled sedation quickly takes the edge off any procedure. You’ll be awake but comfortable. This method is completely safe for children and can help them feel fully relaxed if they’re afraid to receive treatment.
Oral Conscious Sedation
The dental industry has advanced by leaps and bounds in a short period of time. However, fear of dental procedures still stops many patients from scheduling appointments for regular dental cleanings and exams. For this reason, board-certified dentist Dr. Leon D James offers oral-conscious sedation to help patients feel more comfortable and relaxed during their treatments. He can prescribe anti-anxiety medications to be taken before your dental appointment, allowing you to be in a relaxed state of mind when you arrive while being conscious enough to follow instructions.
This type of sedation is taken in pill form and completely relaxes you. You’ll be drowsy but still conscious and able to communicate with Dr. James.
No pain, No stress.
Oral-conscious sedation is ideal for a variety of services, including cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry.
Since you’ll be awake during your procedure, you can ask questions regarding your treatment and mention concerns that are important to you.
IV Sedation
Dr. Leon James DDS is very excited to offer intravenous (IV) sedation to help our New Yorkers enjoy a more positive dental experience. IV sedation can help patients who experience anxiety or fear about visiting the dentist. In this treatment, Dr. James employs anti-anxiety medication that’s delivered directly into your vein to help keep you calm and relaxed during your dental procedure. Even though you’re not actually asleep throughout the treatment, the relaxation and short-term memory loss can make you feel as though you have been asleep.
Dr. Leon D. James can also adjust the amount of medication based on what you need and to ensure your safety.
To learn more about IV sedation, please contact our office at your earliest convenience.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is an important tool for everything from major surgeries to severe dental procedures. While there are risks associated with general anesthesia, it is still used by almost 22 million people a year in the U.S.
General anesthesia is a way to render a patient unconscious so that a surgical procedure can be carried out without the recipient feeling pain. Before the advent of modern anesthesia, surgeries were extremely painful for those requiring them, leading to quick procedures that may not take care of everything properly. This ended up causing a relatively high mortality rate either from patients developing infections or improper surgical techniques. Today, it helps make procedures safer and more effective.
Effects of General Anesthesia
A general anesthetic is given to surgery patients and some dental patients to induce an unconscious state, making procedures painless and much easier for the surgeon or dentist to carry out. These effects can last from half an hour to half a day or more.
Lingering effects can last for several hours afterwards and can include short-term memory loss and drowsiness. Because of these possible after-effects, individuals who undergo a procedure that includes the use of a general anesthetic should not drive home afterwards. Though relatively rare with modern anesthetic drugs, nausea and vomiting can occur after you wake up. This is why you will be required to refrain from eating for several hours before a surgery.
Am I a Good Candidate for General Anesthesia?
One of the biggest risks for those going under general anesthesia is the chance that the patient may be allergic to one or more of the chemicals used during the process. Several different drugs are administered when you are put under general anesthesia, and an allergic reaction to one of them can be extremely dangerous even with doctors surrounding you. It is important to talk with your dentist or surgeon about any existing allergies you might have. A history of allergic reactions means there is a greater chance you might be allergic to one of the medications administered during the process.
Those who are elderly or ill may not be suitable candidates for general anesthesia because it requires a delicate balance by the anesthesiologist to keep you sedated but not so much that your body starts shutting down. Weaker patients may need to take some time to build up their strength before a procedure requiring it.
Dental Sedation FAQ’s
CANDIDATES FOR ORAL-CONSCIOUS SEDATION
Overall, oral-conscious sedation can help children and adults alike who have fears and anxiety about the dentist’s office. Prior to being prescribed a medication for oral-conscious sedation, Dr. James will need to complete a thorough evaluation of your health to decide whether or not you’re a good candidate. He will review your medical history, current medications, and other factors to ensure that it’s safe for you to take sedation medication and to determine which type will be best for you. Oral sedation might not be ideal if you have respiratory or heart complications, are pregnant or have had an allergic reaction to benzodiazepines in the past.
WHO CAN GET IV SEDATION?
The best candidates for intravenous sedation tend to be those who experience significant anxiety about undergoing comprehensive dental treatment. This sedation dentistry treatment helps you receive the dental care you need without distress or fear. Prior to undergoing therapy, Dr. James will talk with you about the various sedation options our practice provides.
WHAT TO EXPECT
For intravenous sedation, we’ll place a needle in your vein and administer the medication. You should start to feel the effects within a few seconds. Dr. James will then carry out your treatment while monitoring the IV levels at the same time. When the procedure is done, we’ll remove the IV, and you should feel alert within a couple of minutes.
There are several types of sedation medications that may be used. The medication chosen by Dr. James will be influenced by you, your specific fears, your physical health, the procedure to be performed, and the approximate length of that procedure. Your medication will be prescribed during your consultation so you can have it filled before your procedure. Since you’ll be taking the medication before you arrive, you should arrange for a reliable adult to drive you to our office and take you home after. With light oral-conscious sedation, you’ll feel at ease but still be conscious and aware. With more significant sedation, you’ll also be conscious, but your recollection will be a little fuzzy. You may fall into a light sleep during your procedure, but you should wake up easily.
USEFUL MEDICATIONS FOR YOUR DENTAL PROCEDURE
Oral conscious sedation is a useful tool when it comes to creating a pleasant experience for people who experience significant anxiety before seeing the dentist. If your fears are so great that you have trouble even coming in for a routine cleaning and check-up, reach out to our office in New York.
As a Board-Certified Dentist, Dr. Leon D James DDS has the knowledge and expertise to select the sleep dentistry method that is appropriate for your unique situation.
Your Path to Wellness: Take the First Step Now
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