Oral Sedation: What Does Sedation Dentistry Mean?

It is not unusual to encounter anxious people whenever they visit a dentist. If anything, you will be amazed to know that millions of people experience this feeling whenever they visit the dentist. Feeling uneasy or anxious about dental visits is usually because of dental phobia or anxiety. Dental anxiety refers to patients who dread visiting the dentist, but dental phobia refers to someone with intense fear. This fear can be overwhelming to the point that it is difficult to undergo simple procedures such as teeth cleaning. But dental appointments are an integral part of your oral health. Therefore, you cannot put off visiting our dentist in 90210. That is why we offer sedation dentistry near you to ensure that we can improve and maintain your oral health.

Who Is Sedation Dentistry For?

Sedation dentistry is a dental service that is offered to ensure that our patients with the following conditions can be comfortable:

• A dental phobia that kicks in when you see dental equipment
• Dental fear that has come about because of a traumatic experience
• If you have a sensitive gag reflex
• If you have a high tolerance to anesthesia
• If your pain threshold is low
• If you need to undergo several dental procedures

Techniques Used In Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry involves using drugs or medications that can help you stay calm when receiving dental treatment. Our dentist in 90210 uses different techniques to ensure that every patient’s needs are met. The technique used is dependent on your health, preference, type of dental procedure, and level of fear or anxiety. In any case, let’s look at the techniques:

• Minimal Sedation

With minimal sedation, you will receive sedatives that will make you calm and relaxed during the procedure. Even though minimal sedation keeps you relaxed, you will not be unconscious. Instead, you will know what our dentist is doing but are relaxed enough to receive the treatment.

• Moderate Sedation

With moderate sedation, you will receive the sedative orally. This is a form of oral conscious sedation, meaning that you will also be awake during treatment. But, the sedation levels will be a bit higher than minimal sedation. Don’t get shocked when you have slurred speech after the treatment. You might have an issue remembering every detail of the procedure.

• Deep Sedation

When you go for deep sedation, you will be partly conscious. You will be in and out of consciousness during the procedure.

• General Anesthesia

When you go for general anesthesia, you will be unconscious the whole duration of the procedure. You will be sedated as though you are going for surgery.

Types of Sedation Dentistry Drugs

• Laughing Gas

This type of minimal sedation uses nitrous oxide, commonly known as the “laughing gas.” It is administered through a mask that our dentist places over your nose. You will feel relaxed once the gas kicks in, which is usually a few moments. It wears off very fast.

• Oral Sedation

Depending on the dosage, you will experience a minimal or moderate effect with oral conscious sedation. You can feel drowsy, but you will be conscious during the procedure. The patients tend to fall asleep while receiving treatment in some cases but will be easily woken up afterward.

• IV Moderate Sedation

In this case, you will receive the sedative intravenously. This means that it is fast-acting and can induce moderate or an unconscious response depending on the dosage.

What Happens During Sedation Dentistry?

Our dentist will administer the sedatives before commencing any treatment. Also, you will receive local anesthesia to help numb your gums and teeth, but this is done once you are feeling comfortable. Once it kicks in, our dentist will proceed with the procedure.

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?

Despite how helpful sedation dentistry is for dental anxiety patients, some people are still afraid of sedation. It is perfectly understandable why some people fear sedation because they imagine being unconscious and unresponsive during the whole procedure. This is partly true if you go for general anesthesia. But this is not always the case since other forms of sedation will help you relax and not render you unconscious. Sedation dentistry is safe, especially if administered by a trained and experienced professional. If you need to undergo sedation dentistry, contact us at Implant Dentistry by Doc Rok, and we would love to help you.