Sedation Dentistry 101: How Important & Effective Is It
The teeth are equally important than any other organ of your body. Be it chewing or talking, the teeth play its part. With regular use, the chances of depreciation in the quality of your teeth are mandatory. Normal wear and tear are also possible.
Apart from dental trauma, you can suffer from certain dental ailments as dental decay or loss of a tooth. Often certain dental infections might lead to the possibility of tooth extraction. Some of the dental ailments as toothaches or teeth whitening are painless process and does not require sedation. But if the dentist administers tooth extraction or a root canal treatment, sedation or anesthesia might be necessary to reduce the sensation of pain and agony, and sedation dentistry is the best available procedure.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
As the name suggests, sedation can calm the nerves and sensation. Fear anxiety during dental care is common among children and prevalent in a meaningful manner among adults due to the high intensity of pain and agony while administering dental treatment.
Sedation or mostly known as conscious sedation is a technique that is administered by dentists by the use of certain prescribed drugs or medicine to produce a state of depression of the agonizing pain by sedating the central nervous system.
During the sedation period, verbal contact can be made with the patient, although he would be oblivious to the pain. It is a drug-induced state of depression in the central nervous system. It helps the dentist to continue the conversation with the patient while continuing the treatment.
Procedure for Sedation Dentistry
The dentist administers sedation dentistry by using a prescribed drug. It is advisable not to eat or drink before six hours of undergoing sedation dentistry. Although the process of sedation differs from person to person, the basic procedure remains the same.
Sedation can be administered by dentists and are of the following types:
#1: Inhaled Sedation
In this sedation process, the patient is made to breathe nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. Often the nitrous oxide is combined with oxygen and made to breathe through a mask. This gas can help you relax, and the dentist can control the mild dose of sedation.
#2: Oral Sedation
Depending on your dental treatment, the level of oral sedation can vary from minimal to moderate. Oral sedation can be administered in the form of a pill. Typically, Halcion is used, which is a member of the Valium group of drugs.
This sedation can make you drowsy, but you would still be awake. Oral sedation is the most common type of sedation dentistry. Some might get groggy by the use of Helicon, but can be awakened by a gentle shake.
#3: Moderate Sedation
The moderation sedation is intravenous and is incorporated in your veins. Being intravenous, this sedation mode works more quickly, and the dentist can continually adjust the sedation level.
#4: Deep Sedation
The dentist uses deep sedation when the treatment procedure is complex and lengthy. The deep anesthesia can make you almost or unconscious and might need some reverse medication to get off from the effect.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?
Often children might be terrified of visiting the dentist due to the pain associated with dentistry. Nitrous oxide tends to be safer than other sedations, and are easier to be administered y any dentist.
Oral sedation can also be safe for children if the recommended dose is used. Although there is a mild risk, an experienced dentist can eliminate the associated risks. The dentist needs to go through your medical history before you undergoing sedation dentistry.
Although the side effects of sedation dentistry are less and are limited to drowsiness, slow reflexes, headaches, or low blood pressure, none of these are severe, and the effectiveness of sedation in dentistry is huge.
Bottom Line
Selecting the right dental clinic is also important when you are going for sedation dentistry. Burton Dentistry has a pool of experienced dentists who are trained to perform sedation dentistry. Burton Dentistry is a place if you are looking for compassionate dentistry and the incorporation of advanced technology. You can book an appointment over by calling us at out toll free number and our staff is ready to welcome you.