What Is Sedation Dentistry? How can Sedation dentistry help in a person who undergoes oral procedure? When you are one of the people who have dental anxiety, sedation dentistry will help you to overcome this fear. And there are a lot of dental clinics that offer sedation dentistry. You can avail a personalised treatment from this dental practice near Lilli Pilli.
Sedation Dentistry
In Sedation dentistry, the dentist uses sedatives before or during dental procedures. It will help you in relaxing while you have undergone dental procedures. Also, sedation dentistry is called sleep dentistry, but not entirely precise, as you are still awake during the process. Only one general anesthesia that will knock you out and the rest will help you relax during the procedure. The dentist uses medicines to safely perform dental procedures like tooth extractions or cosmetic dental procedures. It is a relaxing alternative for you to experience dental procedures as you will have no memory when you underwent the procedure and will not feel any anxiety or fear while you are on the dental chair.
There are levels of sedation that your dentist uses, and these are as follows:
- In Minimal sedation level, you will be conscious but relaxed during the dental procedure.
- In Moderate sedation level, formerly called as conscious sedation will make you slur your words when talking. And that in moderate sedation, you will not entirely remember the procedure.
- Deep sedation level will make you on the edge of consciousness, but then you can still be awakened.
- In General anesthesia, you are entirely knock out while undergoing the procedure.
Types of Sedation used in dentistry
Oral sedation is the type of sedative that is taken orally. There are minimal to moderate range of sedation, and it will depend on the dose of sedatives given to you. For minimal oral sedation, you will take a pill like the Halcion, which came from the same drug family as Valium.
- And it is usually given to you an hour before the dental procedure. It will make you drowsy, but you are still conscious. While on the moderate range of oral sedation, you will take a larger dose of the pill, and this is most common in sedation dentistry. You will feel groggy from moderate oral sedation to be knocked out during the procedure. But you can usually be awakened with a gentle shake.
- Inhaled minimal sedation is the type of sedative where you will breathe in nitrous oxide with oxygen or the laughing gas. The laughing gas will help you relax during the procedure. The dentist can control the quantity of laughing gas you will get, and it tends to abate quickly. And this is the only type of method where you can drive by yourself home after the dental procedure.
- In moderate sedation is the type of sedation that can be taken through Oral medication and IV sedation (Intravenous Sedation). For oral sedation, your dentist may give you pills to take before you arrive for your appointment. Or your dentist may inject sedatives to you, through IV sedation, at the clinic to ease your anxiety faster. IV sedation will keep you wholly conscious and will allow your dentist to control the level and duration of sedation. Though you will still be conscious after the moderate sedation, it is highly recommended to have someone with you that will drive you home after the procedure.
- In Deep sedation, the most common type of sedation used in a procedure is the general anesthesia. General anesthesia can be given to you if you will undergo complex or invasive dental procedures such as dental implants or root canals. You will be unconscious and will need breathing assistance for the entire procedure.
Who can take Sedation Dentistry?
You can consider sedation dentistry if you have the following factors listed below:
- Sedation is most appropriate for you if you have dental anxiety or fear, and that prevents you from visiting a dentist.
- If you have phobias like Dentophobia and other related fears to dental procedures.
- You can choose sedation dentistry if you have bad experiences with dental work in the past.
- If you have sensitive oral nerves, then you can choose to take sedation dentistry.
- You can choose to be sedated when you have a small mouth that happens to sore during a dental procedure.
- If you have resistance to local anesthetic, sedation dentistry fits for you.
- If you experience a general anxiety disorder.
- Sedation dentistry will be fit for you if you have a low pain threshold.
- If you can’t sit still in the dental chair, then you should choose sedation dentistry.
- Sedation will work best for you if you have susceptible teeth.
- If you have a terrible gag reflex, then you can choose sedation dentistry.
- Sedation dentistry will be right for you if you are required to have a large amount of dental work to be completed, like a tooth implant procedure.
- Sedation is sometimes given to children if they are terrified to visit a dentist or refuse to cooperate during the visit.
Sedation dentistry uses sedatives before or during dental procedures as it will help the patients in relaxing while undergoing dental procedures. And there are several factors that a dentist considers before administering the sedation.
