3 Ways Dental Sedation Can Help You Get Through A Root Canal

5 January 2016
 Categories: Dentist, Blog


If you develop a tooth infection, your dentist may attempt to treat the condition with antibiotics. However, the antibiotics alone may not be enough. A dental infection can cause swelling in the soft tissue that fills the interior chambers of the tooth. This tissue, which is called pulp, includes the blood vessels and nerves of the tooth. 

Dental nerves may become inflamed from the pressure caused by the swelling, and even when the infection is treated, the nerves may still be irritated and cause discomfort. During a root canal, a dentist removes the pulp of the tooth. Thus, dental nerves are removed and can no longer cause pain. 

The procedure is performed in one or two visits, but if you have a dental phobia or experience dental anxiety, the procedure can seem to last an eternity. Here are a few ways that sedation dentistry can help you get through a root canal comfortably.

It helps calm dental fears and prevents new ones from forming during your root canal.

Some dental fears are based on negative experiences that occur in a dental setting. People who have memories of prior painful dental treatments may be hesitant to receive needed dental care. Even if a treatment was not very painful, memories can become distorted over time and exacerbate feelings of anxiety.

The medication used for moderate or deep sedation produces partial or total loss of memory for a period. You won't have to worry about haunting memories of your root canal; you may not recall details of your procedure at all. 

Sedation makes your root canal seem quick.

Even if it takes a while for your root canal to be completed, with sedation, the drilling, pulp removal, chamber disinfection and filling of your tooth may seem to fly by. This is another benefit of the memory loss associated with sedatives. 

Sedation allows you to remain calm so that local anesthesia can be more easily injected.

Even though a root canal is not painful when proper anesthetic is used, it can be uncomfortable if injections of local anesthesia, such as Novocain, have to be needlessly repeated due to patient fidgeting. Dental sedation helps you remain calm and relaxed so that you don't fidget or move about as your dentist treats your tooth.

Whether your dental sedation consists of oral medication, inhaled gas or injected drugs, it can help make your root canal free of anxiety. Consult with your dentist to discuss your sedation options before the date of your scheduled root canal.

For a local dentist, contact an office such as Pine Lake Dental Group.


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