A Comprehensive look on Sedation Dentistry- Basics, Right Applicants, Types, Levels and Benefits

The moment people hear the word dentist it incites a worry or fear on them. The shrill dental drill sound to the needles poking the gums are reasons enough in causing anxiety and stopping one from meeting the dentist. Here sedation dentistry will be the perfect route to follow.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

It is a means to keep a patient relaxed and calm by using sedatives while performing the dental procedures. The painkillers can be anti-anxiety medications, nitrous oxide or tranquilizers. Earlier dentists administered sedatives through the IV or the intravenous method that is to inject it on the blood vessels either of the hand or the arm. Needles were a big cause of anxiety for most.

The different medical advancements that have taken place in dental technology have come up with alternatives of taking sedatives devoid of using injections. Patients today can take an anti-anxiety medicine or get an oral administration. It is no longer the age of using needles or other apparatus. Oral sedation dentistry has opened room for painless dentist visits.

Applicants of Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry in the real sense is not for all. It will be the right answer for people exhibiting any of these conditions,

1. Difficulty Controlling Movement
2. Traumatic Dental Experiences
3. Limited Time for Complete Dental Work
4. Dental Phobias such as fear of needles
5. Complex Dental Issues
6. Difficulty Getting Numb
7. Sensitive Teeth
8. Dental Anxiety

4 Different Levels Involved in Sedation Dentistry

Sedation Dentistry has 4 different levels namely,

• Minimal- Here the patient will remain awake but will be completely relaxed
• Deep- Here the patient will neither be wholly unconscious nor completely awake
• Moderate- Here the patient will not know all the procedures and steps in detail but may speak in a dizzy tone
• General- Here the patient will be unconscious completely

4 Different Types

Along with having 4 different levels, this form of dentistry is also categorized into 4 types namely,

1. Inhaled Minimal- The patient will breathe in nitrous oxide or what is popularly known as laughing gas. Through a mask, the gas will be inhaled together with oxygen. It will relax the nerves and the body as a whole.

2. Oral- The patients takes a pill one hour before the process. Here the sedation can be minimal or moderate resting on the full dose. The patient will remain awake but may feel drowsy. The patient may even fall asleep but will wake up with a little shake.

3. Deep- The patient's body will become wholly unconscious, and he or she will wake up only after the sedative's effect subsides.

4. IV Moderate- Here sedation is given through the vein and its effect is prompt.

Along with such sedatives, local anesthesia is also given to numb the area where the dentist will perform the procedure.

Benefits in Abundance

Indeed, eliminating or reducing anxiety and fear is the top benefit of choosing sedation dentistry. After the elimination of such roadblocks even the nervous patients can avail the care they require to take pleasure of an improved oral health and thereby reducing the dangers of tooth loss, infection, gum disease, and tooth decay. Take a look at the different benefits of choosing sedation dentistry,

• It will work wonders in case of patients suffering from sensitive gag reflexes as it will help the patient to relax as well as doze at the time of care without succumbing to any undeniable urge of choking and sputtering. Typically gagging includes both physiological and psychological responses. The mild sedatives such as oral sedatives or nitrous oxide can help to address these issues to offer comfort while performing treatments such as x-rays, fillings and dental impressions.

• A good number of dental processes can be performed without any pain with the use of local anesthesia yet that fear to use needles make patients balk during the treatment. Dentist use the d sedatives together with local anesthesia will be used for reducing that fear of needles as well as numb the pain sensations related to injections.

• This form of dentistry will prove adequate in helping patients to cope with the sights, smells and sounds of the dental clinic, thereby eliciting the feelings of well-being and calmness which serve to short-circuit both the anxiety and fear responses related to bright lights, strong antiseptic odors or drill noises. Patients that have anxiety issues or general anxiety disorders are at risk for such forms of triggering stimuli which can result in a cascade of reactions that is fear based.

• It is through sedation a dentist can carry out different procedures at a single office visit meaning even patients with care needs that are extensive can get the treatment they require in fewer visits thereby cutting down anxiety and costs of care.

Sedation dentistry is also applicable in the case of adults, teens, and children. In case of younger patients, the judicious utilization of sedation will help in preventing the occurrence of dental anxiety which means they can continue with healthy oral care habits all through adulthood, reducing their risks significantly for tooth loss and serious dental issues. Before the accessibility of sedation dentistry, either people allowed to deteriorate their oral health or tolerated a smile that is less than appealing. It is this fear that kept them away to visit the clinic of the dentist.

Today dentists carry out most procedures in the current age after the patient is given a sedative. If the sedative that works right away, and when the patient wakes up, he/she will not remember anything about the treatment. So if the fear to have your dental work completed discouraged you to see a dentist, then it is high time that you should reconsider the significance of the right dental health. Sedation dentistry has extra comfort which means you can get the work that needs to be performed painlessly and efficiently which will help you in enjoying and taking immense pride of a beautiful smile. All the Best.