If you’re one of the many people who tend to dread visits to the dentist office, you might want to learn about sedation dentistry which makes dental appointments more comfortable for many people.
Getting the dental care you need is essential for your health. Therefore, you should definitely look into sedation dentistry if issues like mouth sensitivity or discomfort during dental work are preventing you from taking proper care of your oral health. The following is some important information to be aware of if you are considering or preparing for sedation dentistry.
Level of Sedation
One thing a lot of patients don’t realize about sedation dentistry when they have never experienced it before is that patients can choose from several different sedation levels for the procedure. Often, when people think of sedation in dentistry, they think of wisdom tooth removals and loopy patients. However, patients don’t necessarily have to be completely knocked out to take advantage of sedation dentistry. Here are four different sedation levels that patients can choose from.
Inhaled Minimal Sedation
You can opt for minimal sedation via inhalation. In this case, you will breathe a combination of nitrous oxide and oxygen using a mask. With this level of sedation, you will still be able to communicate with your dentist as usual. This sort of sedation will keep you calm and relaxed during your procedure.
Oral Sedation
If you take oral sedation, you can achieve a minimal or moderate level of sedation by taking a pill. Halcion is a drug that is commonly used for this purpose in sedation dentistry. Halcion is a drug that is related to Valium. It takes time for these drugs taken orally to become effective, so appointments may take longer if you opt for this form of sedation.
Moderate Sedation via IV
If you want moderate, fast-acting sedation, your dentist can give you drugs through IV that will act faster. Administering sedation drugs via IV also gives the dentist better control over your sedation level throughout the procedure.
Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia
For the highest level of sedation, you can be entirely unconscious or mostly unconscious. This will typically involve you breathing in the anesthesia through a mask. Deep sedation is necessary for some types of oral surgery.
Preparation for Sedation Dentistry
Your dentist is probably going to advise you to do a few things to prepare for sedation dentistry. Your dentist may advise you to refrain from eating and drinking for several hours before the procedure starts. They might also tell you not to take any medication for some time before coming in for your appointment.
One of the most important things to realize is that you’ll probably need a ride home from the dentist’s office after an appointment involving sedation dentistry. You will not be fit to drive until the sedation drugs wear off entirely, so you’ll want to arrange for a ride home.
Talk to your dentist about sedation dentistry if you’d like to learn more or if you think that sedation dentistry might be the best option for you.
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