Sedation Dentistry

Sedation Dentistry

Do You Fear the Dentist’s Office? You’re Not Alone.

Many people are afraid of stepping foot inside the dentist’s office. They would rather endure the pain and suffering of a tooth or gum problem rather than get dental treatment.

Talk to Us About Sedation Dentistry

We have good news for you! You’ll be glad to know we can make dental treatments painless and comfortable.

Sedation dentistry can ease your fear of getting dental treatments. It is also appropriate for individuals who: • can’t remain still while in the dentist’s chair • have a low threshold for pain or discomfort • suffer from sensitive teeth or have bad gag reflex, or • require several dental procedures.

This calming technique is generally safe for everyone except for people struggling with obstructive sleep apnea or those who are obese or overweight. If you are considering sedation, give our office a call for more information.

More About Sedation Dentistry Also known as sleep dentistry, this method uses medication to calm the patient but not necessarily make him or her sleep during the treatment.

There are four levels of sedation dentistry: 1. Minimal: The patient is wide awake but completely relaxed and settled down.

2. Moderate: Although conscious, the patient may experience slurred speech and may not remember much of what will take place during the procedure.

3. Deep: Still awake, the patient is traversing the thin line that separates consciousness and sleep state.

4. General Anesthesia: The patient is unconscious during the entire procedure.

Types of Sedation Sedation is not limited to pills or tablets. It may be administered in a variety of ways, including the following: Inhaled: You may have seen this in movies where a person made to inhale “laughing gas” can’t stop laughing. In real life, “laughing gas”, or nitrous oxide, is administered to the patient through a mask.

Although not necessarily producing belly-busting laughter, it helps the patient relax throughout the procedure. Because of its minimal nature, inhaled sedation is the only technique that permits a patient to drive himself or herself home after the procedure.

Oral: This method ranges from minimal to moderate impact and involves taking a pill at least an hour before the procedure. The desired effect is to make the patient feel drowsy but still awake or can be easily awakened thereafter.

Intravenous: A sedative is intravenously administered, which allows the dental specialist to easily adjust the sedative effect.

Anesthesia or Deep Sedation: The objective in this type of sedation is to make the patient unconscious while the procedure is taking place. The patient awakes only when the effects of the drug have worn off.