Dental fear and anxiety is a prevailing problem among many people since they dread going to the dentist. Avoiding dental visits is not the solution since it can only make your problems worse and negatively impact your oral health. With the advent of modern dentistry, you can overcome dental fear yet reap all the benefits of visiting a dentist through sedation dentistry.
The relaxation dental specialties Breckenridge offers different types of sedation to help calm their patients and make them comfortable, enabling a smooth dental procedure.
What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry focuses on relieving stress and anxiety during dental procedures through sedation. It helps you stay calm and relaxed so that the dentist can perform dental treatments with ease. It is also called conscious sedation or “twilight sleep” since, technically, you will be awake but in a relaxed state, feeling carefree. It creates short-term amnesia (forgetfulness), where you will experience insensitivity to pain without the loss of consciousness.
What are the types of sedation?
- Nitrous oxide
-
- This is commonly known as laughing gas, which is inhaled through a mask.
- It leads to calming effects within 3 to 5 minutes of inhalation.
- Once the procedure is over, your dentist will administer pure oxygen to flush out the nitrous oxide.
- Oral conscious sedation
-
- This method involves oral administration of sedative pills about an hour before the procedure.
- These may include diazepam, triazolam, and lorazepam.
- For pediatric use, dentists often use liquid sedation in the form of syrups.
- It may make you feel groggy, and recovery may not be as quick as nitrous oxide sedation.
- Intravenous (IV) sedation
-
- This is the deepest form of sedation, where the medication is administered directly into your bloodstream through an IV line.
- The dosage will be adjusted according to the age and the length of the procedure.
- You may fall asleep and have little to no memory of the treatment when you wake up.
- General anesthesia
-
- This is reserved for more complex dental procedures and patients with severe dental anxiety.
- This is administered intravenously to induce unconsciousness and complete loss of awareness during the procedure.
- It is administered by an anesthesiologist in a surgical setting and requires close monitoring of vital signs.
Bottom line
Sedation dentistry offers a valuable option for you if you experience anxiety and fear related to dental treatments. It offers relaxation, comfort, and pain relief during dental procedures to help you overcome dental fear and access the care you need for a healthy smile.
Comments are closed.