Sedation Dentistry Reduces Stress On Dental Patients
A dentist’s office doesn’t have to be a frightening place, but unfortunately, many people postpone or avoid making important dental appointments because of a bad childhood experience, fear of needles, or what is known as dental phobia. As we know, routine dental work, which includes teeth cleaning, can prevent much more extensive and painful work on a later date. However, if painful work is required, the tension level can be reduced substantially. Many dentists these days offer sedation dentistry as a way to make those office visits easier on patients.
Sedation dentistry can be utilized in a wide variety of dental procedures, from the simple cleaning, to a root canal or extraction. It’s used, not only to limit the actual physical discomfort of a procedure, but also to address the general phobia that a patient may have. It is a good alternative to get those who really fear going into the office for a cleaning or other needed procedures.
There are actually four different types of sedation, and each is useful for specific anesthetic and psychological needs. Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a well-known and popular sedative that induces a general sense of well-being and relaxation in the patient. Nitrous oxide is considered a light sedative. Once the individual is relaxed, a local anesthetic can be used to limit pain for more intense procedures. The down side to this sedation is that some people don’t tolerate the gas effectively.
Oral sedatives, often called sleep dentistry but more accurately termed “conscious sedation,” is now the most widely used technique to reduce anxiety in the dental office. Dentists usually prefer patients to be awake so that they are responsive. With this method, the patient will feel sleepy throughout the office visit, but won’t actually lose consciousness. The sedative can be given thirty minutes to an hour before a scheduled visit, and can be used with a local anesthetic depending upon the specific procedure being performed.
Intravenous (IV) sedation has similar effects as oral tranquilizers, in that the patient can remain conscious in a state of deep relaxation throughout the office visit. However, the sedative is applied through an IV, and a local anesthetic may also be necessary to eliminate pain. It is used in the same types of procedures as either nitrous oxide or oral sedatives, but has to be administered by the dentist and monitored throughout the procedure.
Deep sedation, in the form of general anesthesia, is also found in some offices. However the patient will not be able to communicate with the staff, and may even need assistance with breathing if there are issues keeping their airway open. General anesthesia is reserved for in-depth oral surgery because of the inherent potential complications that can arise using this method.
Whether you are in need of a good cleaning, or are having a more complex procedure, sedation dentistry can help relieve the anxiety of seeing the dentist. Don’t let your anxiety prevent you from having a healthy beautiful smile.
Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2011 All Rights Reserved.