Many people put off necessary dental checkups and care because they are nervous about visiting the dentist. Avoiding the dentist, however, is one of the worst things you can do for your teeth. Regular checkups keep your teeth clean and make it possible to catch and correct small problems before they cause permanent damage. Fortunately, sedation dentistry has made dentist visits less nerve-racking for many patients. Keep reading to learn more about this option.
What is sedation dentistry?
When people hear the term sedation dentistry, they may assume that a patient is unconscious for a dental procedure, but in most situations this is not the case. Instead, medications or sedatives are used to relax the patient during the procedure. This allows the patient to set aside worries and relax while remaining conscious so that they can follow instructions given by the dentist throughout the procedure.
What are the benefits of sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry offers a number of benefits, including:
• It helps patients to relax during a procedure and prevents discomfort.
• It helps nervous patients overcome their fear of the dentist.
• It sometimes makes it possible for a patient to undergo a more complicated procedure or for multiple issues to be corrected during one visit.
What types of sedation are available?
There are two main types of sedation dentistry available at Galleria Dental Aesthetics: oral conscious sedation and intravenous conscious sedation.
Oral conscious sedation is quite simple. Usually patients are given medication through a pill and then they’ll wait for a few minutes for the effects to be noticeable. Patients will stay awake throughout the procedure, but they’ll feel relaxed and calm.
Intravenous conscious sedation is administered through an IV into the bloodstream. This allows the level of sedation to be very carefully controlled. Once again, patients remain awake and able to communicate, but they feel relaxed.
Both types of sedation are carefully regulated and very safe, but it is important that patients arrange for a ride home since they shouldn’t operate a vehicle until the sedative has completely worn off.
If you’d like to learn more about sedation dentistry, contact Galleria Dental Aesthetics.