Everything About Sedation Dentistry

Most patients dread the sounds, smells, and even the atmosphere that is associated with the dentist's office. When a patient is in pain, these fears can become amplified. However, sedation dentistry can help a patient manage pain and anxiety. With sedation dentistry, we can adjust how a patient feels, so they can relax during their appointment.

Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry offers dental patients a way to relax during necessary dental treatments. This relaxation dentistry method uses sedation medications to help patients relax during certain procedures. Sedation dentistry uses three different levels of sedation, including minimal sedation, moderate sedation, and deep sedation. Dental patients can request different sedation levels based on how they feel about treatment.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

There are three types of sedation dentistry:

• Oral conscious sedation. This sedation method will relax you, but you won't fall asleep. Instead, you'll feel calmer and be able to respond to questions. You probably won't remember much about the procedure.
• Laughing gas. Laughing gas or nitrous oxide is a type of sedative that is inhaled through a mask. The gas helps you feel more calm and relaxed.
• IV sedation. IV sedation is the type of sedation that anesthesiologists use. IV sedation involves sedation medication administered intravenously (through an IV). IV sedation helps you relax throughout your entire dental appointment.

The Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry has a number of benefits. Here are a few of them:

• Fewer dental visits

Sedation dentistry can help you avoid multiple visits to complete common treatments. For example, if you have several teeth that need to be replaced, you may need several visits. With sedation dentistry, your dentist can do them in a single dental visit, and thus, the number of visits can be drastically reduced.

• Fewer dental procedures in the future

Since sedation dentistry reduces dental anxiety, you are less likely to avoid important dental procedures out of fear. Avoiding essential procedures can lead to the need for more invasive procedures in the future, so sedation dentistry can help you avoid more procedures in the future.

• Fewer dental fears

If you suffer from dental anxiety, sedation dentistry can help you overcome those fears. It can help you stay calm during your dental visits, so you can relax and be more comfortable throughout the process.

• Fewer health risks

Sedation dentistry can help you avoid the risks of anxiety, including heart problems, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, and respiratory depression.

Is Sedation Dentistry Right for You?

While sedation dentistry isn't necessary for everyone, it can be extremely beneficial for some patients. If you have dental phobia or anxiety, or you have very sensitive teeth or gums, you may be a good candidate for sedation dentistry. It can also benefit you if you have a sensitive gag reflex or some medical condition doesn't allow you to sit still in the dental chair for a long time. With sedation, you can get the dental treatment you need without anxiety or pain.

Contact Our Office Today!

Patients that resist the dentist's office for fear of pain or discomfort may benefit from sedation dentistry. Dental anxiety is a very real problem for many people, and sedation dentistry can help these patients get more treatment comfortably.

Schedule a consultation with our team by calling the Infinity Dental office or by contacting us online to learn more about sedation dentistry. We would be happy to help.