Sedation dentistry is beneficial for patients who feel nervous, anxious, or stressed about visiting the dentist’s office. For some patients, the fear or anxiety is so severe that they cannot even make and keep an appointment with a dental professional.
Sedation dentistry refers to the use of sedative medications to help patients relax during dental procedures. These sedatives help patients feel calm, or even sleepy, during a procedure, so they feel like their visits are much shorter than they truly are.
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is an odorless gas you inhale through a mask that’s placed over your nose. You’ll feel relaxed but conscious and will be able to communicate with our dentist. The effects wear off as soon as you stop inhaling the gas. Nitrous oxide sedation doesn’t put you to sleep.
Oral sedation involves taking a sedative by mouth. Oral sedation is very safe. Sedatives can be administered in pill form or a liquid. Once the sedative takes effect, you often feel drowsy and may not remember much from the procedure.
Also referred to as intravenous or “intravenous,” IV sedation involves the administration of sedatives directly into the bloodstream. This type of sedation dentistry takes effect quickly, making it an ideal option for patients with strong dental anxiety.
General anesthesia is a type of sedation dentistry where a patient under sedation is rendered unconscious. This level of sedation is reserved for certain procedures, such as wisdom tooth extraction, where the patient cannot cooperate or is anxious. It can be used on children and adults.
Yes, sedation dentistry is very safe. In fact, statistics show that sedation dentistry is safer than traditional dental work. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, “patients receiving sedative drugs during common dental procedures were no more likely to experience an adverse reaction than those not receiving sedatives.”
Researchers have found that there is only a 1:200,000 risk of having an adverse reaction from sedation dentistry.
Sedation dentistry is the practice of using sedatives to help patients feel more relaxed during dental treatment. Depending on the type of sedative, its effect can last for a couple of hours or several days. The benefits of sedation dentistry include the following:
To learn more about our dental procedures or to schedule your appointment for dental checkups, call Whitlow Dental Care at (559)441-7700.
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