Ask our staff.

Sedation Dentistry

Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, Oakleaf, Orange Park

Because he understands the anxiety that so many people face when considering dental procedures, Dr. Blankenship offers his patients sedation dentistry. You can enjoy a relaxing experience in our serene office environment while having comfortable and stress-free dentistry.

Fear is the biggest obstacle

For many people, fear is the number one reason for putting off dental work. The result is deteriorating dental health and the need for more extensive procedures. Avoiding dental care can even lead to other health problems such as heart disease, since the bacteria of gum disease travel in the bloodstream and can infect the heart.

Who can benefit from sedation dentistry?

There are many reasons why you may have anxiety about dental procedures. Sedation dentistry can help you if you:

Have had a traumatic experience at the dentist’s office in the past
Have a strong gag reflex
Are resistant to numbing
Are afraid of the sounds or smells of dentistry
Have difficulty swallowing
Have a health condition that makes it difficult to sit through dental procedures
Need multiple or complex procedures
Simply want a more relaxing and enjoyable dental experience

How sedation dentistry works

Before any dental work is started – whether it is cosmetic dentistry or general dentistry – Dr. Blankenship will give you an oral sedative. It helps calm you and makes the local anesthesia more effective. You will be conscious and breathing on your own, but you may be so relaxed that you actually sleep through your procedure. There are no IVs or extra needles involved. You will need someone to drive you home from your appointment, as the sedative does not wear off immediately.

Because your body is relaxed during your procedure, you will not experience the pain and soreness that comes from the muscle tension while having dental work. Also, Dr. Blankenship can do his work faster and with more ease when your muscles are relaxed.

Creating better memories

If you already have a fear of the dentist due to unpleasant dental experiences in the past, sedation dentistry can help you form better memories and get past the fear. You may be nervous now about picking up the phone to make your appointment. But after you have a better experience, you will find it easier the next time and will be able to look forward to the results instead of fearing the process.

Modern improvements

Keep in mind that dentistry has changed enormously over recent years and new materials and technology have given us:

Faster procedures
Far less pain
Very reduced radiation exposure
Instant images of your mouth on the chairside monitor that you can discuss with Dr. Blankenship
Greater safety and very reduced risk of infection
Less noise
Much earlier detection of decay, before it does much damage

Please see our Before and After Gallery for some of the outstanding results our patients have achieved.

Dr. Blankenship listens to his patients, and will take whatever steps he can to make you relaxed and comfortable. Please call or email us today and learn more about what sedation dentistry can do for you. We will be happy to schedule your appointment in our Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville, Florida office.