What Methods Does a Sedation Dentist Offer?
A sedation dentist can help relax an anxious patient with the right type of sedation method. Many dental patients get nervous before and during dental treatment. Pain is the main driving force of anxiety. The stress even lingers during the ride home. Sedation can remove this experience from dental patients. If you want to know the different types of sedation methods from your sedation dentist, here are the details.
Oral sedation
Another term for this sedation method is conscious sedation. Here, the patient will take a specific dose of sedative hours before the dental procedure. The sedation dentist will decide when and how much the patient will take, depending on the type of treatment. A patient may need to take a pill the evening before and even an hour before the dental procedure. Specific instructions may come from the dentist or the attending physician.
In oral sedation, the patient remains conscious or awake during the procedure. The patient is also in a relaxed state. Those who suffer from a high level of anxiety can choose this method of sedation. Some patients need close checking, so some medical equipment must attach to them. These machines will keep an eye on the blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. Most dental patients remember little or nothing about the procedure.
Laughing gas or nitrous oxide
This is a controllable method of sedation. The sedation dentist can stop or start the sedation at any time. Laughing gas relaxes patients during dental treatment. The sedation works as long as the patient inhales nitrous oxide. The sedation dentist allows the patient to drive home after the procedure with laughing gas.
The patient will receive the gas through a breathing apparatus. Even if the effects are mild, the gas takes effect right away. The patient can feel the effects in about 30 seconds of breathing the gas. Some dental patients find laughing gas sufficient for sedation. Others need to take oral sedation with it.
IV (intravenous) sedation
Two types of IV sedation are available. Twilight sedation keeps the patient conscious during the procedure. Even so, the patient does not know what is happening. The patient is sleepy but ready to be woken up by the sedation dentist at any time.
Another type of IV sedation is general anesthesia. This is an uncommon method, but it can help patients with severe anxiety. Patients who need long dental procedures need this type of sedation. Those who are resistant to other forms of sedation are good candidates for general anesthesia. A patient will not be conscious with general anesthesia. The procedure must have a licensed anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist to administer this type of sedation.
Benefits of seeing a sedation dentist
Talking to a sedation dentist has its advantages. A nervous patient can feel calm during an invasive treatment. It can even make the patient feel good about the next appointment. Here are the known benefits of seeing a sedation dentist:
- It reduces discomfort. Sedation dentistry can apply to healthy patients during an invasive dental procedure. It can trigger relaxation, calm, and comfort, especially during a long treatment. Many patients tense up because of the possible pain. Some patients have a strong gag reflex, a low pain tolerance, and sensitive teeth. Sedation can melt away these negativities.
- It reduces discomfort. Many people suffer from dental phobia or dental anxiety. Some of these fears are due to negative dental experiences during childhood, and others are unfounded. Patients often carry these fears until adulthood. A sedation dentist can help relieve dental anxiety. This can give the patient better dental and general health.
- It quickens the recovery time. The period of recovery depends on the type of sedation dentistry. Both IV and oral sedation need more time to wear off. It may take a night’s sleep before the effects fade. Laughing gas will stop working about two minutes after the patient breathes it.
- It is a harmless part of the procedure. This practice has minimal side effects. Trained dental care professionals will administer the sedation technique. The patient will be in good hands during sedation.
A sedation dentist can help relax the patient and make the dental procedure painless
Each type of sedation your sedation dentist offers can block the pain and relax the patient at the same time. That is why many dental patients prefer having sedation before and during the dental procedure. It helps when the anxious patient does not remember a lot or anything about the procedure. Talking to your sedation dentist about your concerns before the procedure will help determine the sedation method you can have.
Are you considering seeing a sedation dentist in the Bellevue area? Get more information at https://artisandentalbellevue.com.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Sedation Dentist in Bellevue, WA.
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