Sedation dentistry in Legacy makes dental operations more comfortable for you. It is helpful for patients with dental anxiety or who are enduring lengthy treatment. Keep reading to learn what sedation dentistry means, its benefits, types, and more.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry employs medicine to alleviate anxiety and relax the patient before their procedure. Sedation dentistry takes away all your discomfort, makes you calm down, eases your anxiety during dental operations. It’s a moderate amount of sedation, so you’re technically awake but very relaxed.
It’s also known as conscious sedation dentistry or “twilight sleep” because it induces a condition of temporary amnesia (forgetfulness) in which you feel pain insensitivity without losing consciousness.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry For Dental Anxiety
Sedation dentistry near you renders the below-jotted benefits to all the patients in common:
- Patients with more difficult dental disorders are more likely to use sedation if a lengthy or complex treatment is required to ease pain and suffering and speed up the therapy.
- Sedation may aid patients with illnesses or an inability to remain quiet. It has a relaxing effect that helps the patient relax physically and mentally.
- Sedation dentistry can help patients with sensitive gag reflexes since it reduces discomfort, relaxes the body to the point where the reflexes are no longer a problem for the patient, and makes the doctor’s job easier.
- Patients who are afraid of needles may benefit from sedation dentistry. Oral sedation solutions are available to alleviate anxiety and the dread of needles and IV sedation.
- Patients with complicated dental requirements might benefit from sedation dentistry by receiving various procedures in one visit, saving time and money.
Who Needs Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry can benefit people of all ages, including preschoolers, teenagers, adults, and older people. However, a dentist in Legacy often employs this approach for those who have:
- Dental phobia.
- Dental care anxiety
- A dread of going to the dentist.
- A super sensitive gag reflex.
- Aichmophobia (threat of needles)
- Susceptible teeth.
- Clueless feelings while in the dental chair.
- Little to no sensitivity to local anesthetic.
- Controlling movement is difficult.
- Special requirements (physical, cognitive, or behavioral).
Types of Sedation Used in Dentistry
Sedation in dentistry is classified into different forms based on the level of sedation and the administration technique. These are some examples:
Nitrous Oxide Sedation (Laughing Gas)
A moderate sedative delivered through a nose mask. It causes calm and decreases anxiety while keeping the patient alert and responsive.
Oral Sedation
Patients are given sedative medication by mouth before the dental procedure. This medicine might cause mild to moderate sedation, depending on the dosage.
Intravenous (IV) Sedation
Medications are injected directly into the patient’s bloodstream via an intravenous line. IV sedation gives a deeper level of sedation for more intricate or lengthy dental treatments.
Conscious Sedation
This includes nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and IV sedation, in which the patient is calm and altered in consciousness but still responds to verbal cues and directions.
General Anesthesia
This approach puts the patient entirely asleep and pain-free during dental treatments. It is used for complicated procedures or patients that require severe sedation.
Local Anesthesia
While not a sedative approach, local anesthesia is routinely utilized in dentistry. A numbing chemical (such as lidocaine) is injected into a specific mouth location to inhibit pain feelings throughout the process.
Pre-Sedation Dentistry Treatment
Your dentist will discuss sedative options with you during your initial consultation after going over your medical records. Further, they might ask about whatever supplements or medicines you are taking. Once they have gathered all of the necessary information, they will make sedative suggestions based on your specific needs.
You should fast for a minimum of six hours ahead of your dentist appointment in most cases. Unless directed by your dentist in other respects, you should take all standard medicines on a consistent basis. However, if you are using blood thinners, especially warfarin, notify your dentist. They may ask you to stop taking these drugs for a couple of days before surgery.
Ongoing Sedation Dentistry Treatment
Your dentist will give you tranquilizers before the procedure begins. You continue to be supplied with a local anesthetic to soothe your teeth and gums after the sedatives have started to take effect.
Post-Sedation Dentistry Steps
Inform your trusted friend or family member in advance to take you home following your appointment unless you choose nitrous oxide as your sedative option. You should go home and rest until the tranquilizer drug takes effect.
Please Contact Us Today
Would sedation dentistry be beneficial to you? Call or book a consultation online with one of Township Dental Wellness’s expert dentists right away. Our team makes sure that both our existing and new customers don’t feel pain because of oral care treatments, even for a second!