Many people feel nervous or afraid when it’s time to visit the dentist. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Whether you’re looking for a dentist near you or planning your next check-up, there are ways to make dental care feel easier and more comfortable. Sedation dentistry is one of those ways.
Sedation dentistry makes individuals feel relaxed and calm when they go to the dentist. Sedation dentistry reduces fear, pain, or stress using medicine. Individuals with dental anxiety, sensitive teeth, or a gag reflex can be helped using this.
What Does Sedation Dentistry Mean?
Sedation dentistry refers to the use of medication to make an individual more relaxed when receiving dental care. It doesn’t necessarily imply that you are completely asleep. Some forms of sedation simply allow you to be calm but remain awake and alert. Others will make you sleepy or enable you to sleep through the appointment.
Sedation dentistry aims to provide more relaxing and less traumatic dental experiences for individuals who find them difficult to endure.
How Does It Work?
Before your appointment, your dentist will query you about your health, medication, and degree of dental fear. Depending on this, they will select the form of sedation that best suits you. You will receive local numbing for the treated area, but sedation facilitates relaxation or calmness.
Throughout your visit, your team and dentist will monitor your breathing, heart rate, and comfort. You can be sleepy or relaxed, depending on the sedation being used.
Types of Sedation Used in Dentistry
There are various forms of sedation, and it is based on the dental procedure being performed and how anxious the patient is.
1. Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
- Breathe in through a mask
- Assists you in relaxing within minutes
- Becomes inactive quickly so that you can return to normal following the visit
2. Oral Sedation
- Taken as a tablet before the visit
- Can cause drowsiness but not asleep
- Effects are longer-lasting than with laughing gas
3. IV Sedation
- Administered via a vein
- Acts very rapidly and can be titrated during the visit
- Generally used for longer or more complex dental care
4. General Anesthesia
- You are completely asleep
- Used in some situations or for individuals who can’t handle dental procedures awake
What Are the Advantages of Sedation Dentistry?
There are several benefits of sedation dentistry, particularly for individuals who have stayed away from the dentist because of fear or previous experience.
- Decreases anxiety: Makes you feel relaxed during the visit
- Less pain: Keeps you relaxed longer or for more detailed treatment
- Time-saving: Enables the dentist to perform more work in fewer visits
- Improved concentration: This lets the dentist work more efficiently without interruption
- Enhanced oral health: Eases people’s ability to receive the care they require
These advantages can make patients feel more at ease visiting the dentist in the future.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?
Yes, and if administered by experienced dental personnel, sedation is safe for most individuals. Before administration of any form of sedation, your dentist will check your medical history to ensure it is the right option for you.
While you are there, your dentist will monitor your vital signs and ensure the level of sedation remains safe. Following the visit, you might require someone to take you home, depending on the type of sedation administered.
Who May Require Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is usually applied to:
- Individuals with extreme dental anxiety
- Individuals with a history of trauma related to dental treatment
- Patients requiring a great deal of dental procedures in one setting
- Individuals who have an overwhelming gag reaction
- Children and adults who can’t sit comfortably still
In any of the above cases, you might prefer to ask your dentist if sedation can be availed.
What Happens During the Visit?
Recovery varies with the type of sedation. If you received laughing gas, you will be back to normal soon after the mask is taken off. For IV or oral sedation, you might feel tired for a couple of hours. It is a good idea to rest at home and not drive or work for the remainder of the day.
Your dentist will provide you with easy aftercare instructions to ensure that you recover well.
Searching for a Comfortable Dental Experience?
If you’ve been putting off care and want a calmer experience, sedation dentistry may help. At Kinsey Smiles, our goal is to help every patient feel at ease in the dental chair. If you’re looking for a dentist in Cornelia, we’re here to make your visit as smooth as possible.
Our office also accepts patients looking for a dentist in Dacula. With sedation available, we prioritize your comfort while delivering the care your smile requires.