What do you think of when you hear the word "dentist"? Tons of folks think of the dentist as the one who provides discomfort. Perhaps they had pain when they saw a dentist when they were younger, listened to another person's story about a visit to the dentist, saw a movie in which a dentist is depicted as one who enjoys causing pain or have experienced firsthand some difficult dental procedures.

Some dental treatments involve discomfort. Mostly, they are the things like having a root canal done or getting implants which are an important part of getting a crown or bridge. And usually the attempt to prevent the pain was a big shot in the gum of novacaine. Even thinking about that novacaine shot can cause some people's blood pressure to go up.

That was then, and this is now, especially when you visit a Richmond sedation dentist. There are two types of sedation dentistry. If you don't mind a needle, that is one option. Or you can take a pill. Both will render you very sluggish, making your eyes feel heavy. It might be helpful to know, however that the needle basically knocks you all the way out. That means that the pill sedation leaves you conscious. That doesn't mean that you will be able reminisce about the experience later, but you'll be able to move around and talk during the procedure if necessary. Conversely, the needle sedation can actually put you to sleep. Most dentists will tell you that that is extreme. You can be awake for most kinds of major dental work.

Believe it or not, dental procedures are smoother and completed more quickly when the Richmond dentist employs sedation dentistry. He is also able to accomplish more than usual which means you won't have to make as many trips back to get those procedures finished up.

Dental treatments like bridges and crowns, veneer application, orthodontics, root canal, tooth extraction and more are much easier to bear when you know you won't be in the chair for very long.

In addition, when the sedation's effect has worn off, you are calm and happy. Most patients who have their dental work done by a Richmond sedation dentist have gone out later with friends the very evening they went home. Sign me up with that dentist!