Whether you have fear of the dentist, or the procedure you’re in need of is extensive and may be painful, then you may fall into the category of patients who use sedation dentistry.
Sedation dentistry is practiced by dentists all over to ensure their patient experiences an anxiety free appointment. The American Dental Association ensures that a set of guidelines are followed when providing sedation and the training. There are many different anesthetics your dentist can offer, and each deal with a different level of pain.
Commonly used, nitrous oxide, widely known as laughing gas is a breathing anesthetic. This type of anesthesia is used to alleviate pain. It is a safe method of relaxing a patient, and is provided by most dental offices because of its effectiveness. Laughing gas is used a lot of the time with local anesthetic shots to reduce pain in the spot getting worked on.
Oral sedation, is an alternative form of sedation for those patients who are terrified of needles. Oral sedation provides a relaxation for the patient, in the form of a pill or occasionally liquid. Like anesthetic shots, this is commonly used with laughing gas to have an easier appointment.
IV sedation, Intravenous sedation is an anti-anxiety sedative injected into the vein. This allows a deeper sedation for the doctor and patient, typically used in wisdom teeth extractions. Because of the deepness of this sedation, most patients find themselves completely unaware of the procedure taking place. IV sedation is a type of anesthetic that must be administered by a certified practitioner, because of how strong the sedative is and because of the administering process.
Dentists everywhere are turning to sedation dentistry to ensure their patients have a smooth time at the dentist. If you think you would benefit from sedation dentistry, contact your dental office to set up a consultation. Your dentist and their staff will be able to walk you through all of the sedation processes and which you will benefit from the most. Sedation dentistry allows for a smooth process for your dentist and you.