Everything You Need To Know About Sedation Dentistry

When a patient is nervous, anxious, or fearful, it can make going to the dentist very difficult for them. Sedation dentistry helps alleviate these problems by calming the patient, making them relaxed and sleepy. Sedation dentistry is especially helpful for people who:

• Have anxiety about going to the dentist.
• Have a history of bad dental experiences.
• Have dental phobia.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

People typically need sedation dentistry if they have dental anxiety. There are three main types of sedation dentistry. Talk with your dentist about which type of sedation dentistry is best for you. The three major types of sedation dentistry are as follows: 

• Oral sedation

Oral sedation is the most common form of sedation dentistry. It involves taking a prescription medication, such as diazepam, before your appointment. You'll take this medication an hour before your appointment. The medication will relieve your anxiety and will make you drowsy. This sedation will go into effect very quickly.

Oral sedation is effective because it takes the edge off of your anxiety. You won't feel completely relaxed, but you'll be able to tolerate your procedure. Oral sedation is usually recommended for procedures that are invasive or take a long time.

• Nitrous oxide sedation

Dentists use nitrous oxide safely to help patients relax during dental procedures. Nitrous oxide is a form of conscious sedation, which means that the patient stays awake during the procedure, but in a relaxed state.

Nitrous oxide sedation is also known as laughing gas sedation and is administered to the patient through a nasal mask. Laughing gas is gas is a very mild form of sedation dentistry. Inhaling laughing gas will relax you like oral sedation. However, laughing gas wears off very quickly.

• IV sedation

IV sedation is the strongest form of sedation dentistry. Oral and laughing gas sedation doesn't put patients completely to sleep, but IV sedation does. A dentist will administer the IV sedation through an IV which will be inserted into your arm. The medication will take effect very quickly. IV sedation will put you into a deep sleep, so you won't feel any pain during the procedure.

Who Can Benefit From Sedation Dentistry?

Patients who suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia may benefit from having sedation dentistry performed. Sedative dentistry provides a relaxing and anxiety-free experience while the dentist is completing dental treatment. Patients who have dental anxiety may experience stress or fear at the thought of going to the dentist. Sedation dentistry provides patients with a more comfortable environment while the dentist is completing their dental work. The other people who can benefit from sedation dentistry include those who have a strong fear of needles, those with a bad gag reflex, those undergoing multiple dental procedures, those who can't sit still in the dental chair for a long time, etc. 

To learn more, call A Better Smile Dentistry at (505) 208-0505 and schedule an appointment with the dentist or visit us at 475 Coors Blvd NW, Ste A, Albuquerque, NM 87121.