Sedation Vs Anesthetics for Dental Anxiety?

[coca]

After a really traumatic childhood dental experience, and dealing with shitty rough dentists, I have avoided the dentist for years and developed a lot of cavities, a broken tooth etc, and need a lot of dental work including root canals, crowns, and fillings.

The last time I went was in 2017 and I tapped out of the chair, after being injected with anesthetics, I could still feel the dentists rough hands and pain in my mouth, and was generally anxious and uneasy. 

My dentist immediately brought up sedation for my dental anxiety and the amount of work that I need to get done, but I am also anxious about being fully unconscious during the procedure. 

I decided to get prescribed Ativan, and to try to get fillings (least invasive procedure) with anesthesia and see how it feels again, but I am still having a lot of anxiety prior to scheduling the appointment? 

What are y'all thoughts/opinions on dental anxiety and sedation vs anesthesia?

[undeather]

We are dealing with many patients who acutely need dental work in our clinic because its a necessary step before becoming eligible for a liver transplant. First of all let me empower you in your decision to face your fears and finally get something done. Fixing your teeth is one of the best health measures you can undertake to significantly deacrease the propablity of a whole range of degenerative or inflammatory diseases. Our current literature indicates that we have highly underestimated the significance of oral hygiene in relation to our systemic homeostasis. So please, even if its like the scariest thing for you - make this appointment. We tell our patients that those decisions become much easier if there is the possibility of incorperating family members, friends of even a psychotherapist in that matter. There are therapists/coaches who specialize in facing difficult situations, so if its easier for you - maybe think about some kind of support if you cant do it alone.

Regarding your medical question:
-  Sedation comes with a quality of "distancing from the fear", which is usually well tolerated and perfect for individuals like you . You wont be fully unconcious but more in some kind of light doze. Its also less stressful, cheaper, easier and faster. There are multiple ways of sedation and each and every one differs a bit from the other. Depending whats available at your provider, please talk to him about this beforehand. The difficult step here is to make an appointment. If those drugs are finally in your veins, you will feel okay. 
- Before making the appointments, simple breathwork routines might help you to calm down. A really great one is so called "box-breathing". I will link a video down below.
- Anesthesia is also a decent way to get the job done. Dont get me wrong - just because I would prefer and recommend sedation, then this doesnt mean that anesthesia is objectively "worse". For some people this is the way to go. Anesthesia sounds so scary to the layperson - but let me assure you thats its just not. Back in medschool I have spent weeks in OR's observing and learning from anaesthesiologists. It was boring as hell. Because its just basic routine repeating itself and almost nothing ever really goes wrong. Especially with younger and healtheir patients, this is unbelieveable safe. So please, dont worry. 

- Regarding your Ativan. Keyword: Opioid crisis. Those drugs work but they also exert a seducing aura for those suffering from anxiety or PTSD. Please, dont start taking them regulary and keep the use under two weeks at max. 

Box breathing: 

 

[Verbatim]

Well done, I do agree that best "action" is face your fears and book the appointments. Dentists are not anyone's top of the list > I do face same feelings but believe me  it is the best thing have those fillings done. Also, Root canal treatment, after local anesthetic is not a painful procedure, it might be a fiddling one but not painful, providing you are Numb!