How Will Sedation Dentistry Help Me?

Each year, an estimated 10 percent of the U.S. population purposely avoids vital dental treatment due to fear, anxiety and sometimes powerful phobias. These people are more at-risk for developing serious dental health conditions that are normally detected and treated during checkups.

Sedation dentistry provides a solution to stress, leaving the patient free of anxiety. Sedation dentistry uses carefully applied medication, which allows the patient to relax while the doctor performs treatment. In this way, multiple procedures can be performed during a single visit. 

The three most common types of sedation are:

·          Inhalants – Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, works very quickly. Patients feel its effect within five minutes of administration and can settle into a comfortable relaxed feeling, while remaining fully awake. Most patients will have very little memory of the procedure. With a five minute dose of pure oxygen, patients can drive themselves home without lingering effects.

·       Oral Sedatives – This type of medication is taken in the form of anti-anxiety pills prior to treatment. The patient remains conscious and can respond to directions and requests, but doesn’t experience any pain or distress. The patient will feel a bit groggy before and after the procedure so your dentist will request that you have someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

·       Intravenous (IV) Sedatives – This sedative is administered directly into to the blood stream through a needle. It will reduce awareness and memory by inducing a “twilight sleep.” During the procedure, the patient is free of discomfort. Patients will need someone to take them home.

Benefits of Sedation Therapy

More dental care providers are offering sedation dentistry so that they can limit a serious obstacle to their patients’ oral health. Being able to eliminate any feelings of alarm, panic and fear from people who would rather suffer through tooth pain than visit a dentist is a significant step in the direction of better health.

Research has demonstrated time and again that the key to improved overall well-being is optimal oral health through regular cleanings and professional checkups. Professional dental organizations, which include the American Dental Association, have declared preventive measures, such as brushing twice a day and flossing regularly, essential in the early detection of many harmful conditions, such as oral cancers.   

Located at 209 W. Pecan in Coleman, TX, Dr. Lawrence Thompson offers oral conscious sedation and nitrous oxide to his patients. If you are seeking a dentist who is focused on patient needs and who can effectively ease the fear associated with visiting the dentist, contact his office today.

The Power of Dental Implants and Implant-Supported Dentures

Never underestimate the positive impact of a beautiful smile. A mouth full healthy teeth can boost your self-esteem, giving you greater confidence in your social and professional interactions. This is why Dr. Lawrence Thompson is so committed to finding effective ways to replace teeth, and one of the most effective treatments he’s found for badly damaged or missing teeth is dental implants.

If you’ve got numerous tooth problems, you might be putting off dental work, afraid that the only viable solution is traditional dentures. Fortunately, dental implants and implant-supported dentures offer sturdier and more comfortable alternatives.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

The drawbacks of traditional dentures involve the risk of slippage, which can hinder a person’s ability to eat certain foods and affect speech patterns. Dental implants solve this problem by securing the replacement tooth into the patient’s jaw with an artificial root.

Once the artificial root is secured, it serves as a base for a natural-looking crown that fits right in with the remaining teeth, restoring your smile in an attractive way. Dental implants function like real teeth, allowing you to eat and speak like normal.

What about Implant-Supported Dentures?

Implant-supported dentures are an effective solution if you need to replace many teeth. This process uses artificial tooth roots as a base to support partial or complete dentures. Dentures can be non-removable and secured to the implants with retaining screws. This is the most permanent solution and is great for people who don’t want to remove their dentures every day.

Dentures can also be removable, in which case the full or partial denture is hooked to the supporting implants in a way that is secure but not permanent. The dentures can be taken out and cleaned, but when they are in place, they are still supported strongly enough that they won’t move around.

Besides the convenience factor, dental implants help to preserve natural bone. Without a root in place, bone will recede over time, and traditional dentures do nothing to prevent this process from occurring. Implants, on the other hand, stimulate continued growth of the bone, helping patients to maintain the shape of their face.

Dr. Lawrence Thompson can diagnose your dental health to determine if you are a good candidate for implants. If you don’t have enough remaining healthy bone to support the implant, he can recommend alternative solutions, so contact our office today.

Getting Rid of Bad Breath

Halitosis (or bad breath) is the consistent exhalation of unpleasant odors from the mouth. Bad breath can be embarrassing and make you self-conscious about speaking or being social. Luckily, simple steps are available that can help fight halitosis and produce a fresher mouth.

• Brush and floss regularly
• By brushing and flossing at least twice a day, you are helping to prevent the buildup of plaque, which harbors bacteria known to cause bad breath.
• Scrape your tongue
• A day’s worth of eating and drinking can produce a coating on your tongue containing bad breath-causing bacteria. By brushing your tongue along with the rest of your teeth, you can help to eliminate bad breath. You can also use a tongue scraper to get rid of that coating. A tongue scraper applies pressure along your tongue and literally scrapes off bacteria.
• Avoid foods that cause halitosis
• Thinking about onions and garlic? Brushing hardly helps when trying to get rid of those odors. Unfortunately, it’s just best to avoid these foods, especially when you know you’ll be in close contact with someone!
• Stop smoking
• Using tobacco causes a multitude of issues for oral health, and bad breath is one of them. If you are serious about eliminating your bad breath, then quit using tobacco.
•  Rinse your mouth
•  Using mouth wash is an extra step to take when fighting bad breath. Mouth rinses help fight bacteria that is known to cause bad breath.
• Chew gum
• A simple mint after a meal won’t do it. Mints contain sugar that increase the amount of plaque in the mouth. Chewing sugar-free gum, however, helps to fight halitosis by producing saliva, which helps to resist plaque-building acids.
• Keep your mouth moist
•  Having a dry mouth is a leading cause of bad breath. Acquiring habits that produce saliva can help moisten your mouth and thus fight plaque-producing acids. Chew gum or eat sugarless candies. Using a humidifier at night also helps to moisten the air you inhale.
• Talk to your dentist
• An expert professional will know how to combat halitosis better than anyone. If you have tried a number of methods that haven’t produced results, then talk to your doctor who could check for a possible medical condition.

Lawrence Thomson, DDS is a dentist in Coleman TX. To learn more about his practice visit www.mycolemandentist.com.