Dental anxiety is a very common phobia, and one that keeps many people from going to necessary dental cleanings and procedures. Even if you know that it’s important to get professional cleanings, fear and anxiety over the dentist and what could potentially happen causes many people to avoid the dentist entirely and wish they could be sedated for dental work. If this is you or one of your loved ones, you’ll likely be relieved to learn that you can indeed be sedated for dental work.
Sedation dentistry is a method dentists use in order to calm your fears and anxieties in order to make dental appointments a comfortable and calm experience. At Avenues Dental, we want to do everything possible to create a comfortable and safe environment in order to make taking care of your oral health as easy as possible. If being sedated for dental work is what you need in order to ensure that you can receive your necessary dental care, we offer sedation dentistry in order to ensure that this is possible.
Here’s what you need to know about sedation dentistry, the types available to you, and whether you could benefit from being sedated for dental work.
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is when your dentist administers a drug either before your dental procedure or during it in order to relax you. There are several methods of dental sedation, some of which calm you, such as “Laughing Gas”, others that render you sleepy and make it so that you won’t remember the appointment, and others still that render you unconscious. The purpose of sedation dentistry is to help you feel relaxed during dental work.
Who Needs To Be Sedated For Dental Work?
Being sedated for dental work can be extremely beneficial for a number of people. While most people choose to have some sort of pain medication when having cavities filled or other such dental work, there are those who need something extra in order to get past their fear. Some people need to be sedated for dental work in order to be able to see the dentist at all.
There are several patients who would likely benefit from being sedated for dental work, such as:
- People with an intense dental phobia/dental anxiety
- People who can’t sit still for very long
- People who don’t have high pain thresholds
- People who have hyperactive gag reflexes
- People who have very sensitive teeth
- People who need to have a lot of dental work done at once
- Children who can’t sit still
Kinds Of Dental Sedation
As mentioned previously, there are several different types of dental sedation available, in order to ensure that each individual receives the best kind according to their needs and the kind of dental work they are having done. Your dentist will be able to determine the best kind for you based on the reasoning for the dental sedation.
The different types of dental sedation include:
Inhaled Minimal Sedation
This is when you breathe in nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, through a mask over your nose. This will help you relax, and wears off quickly. Your dentist will be able to control how much you receive. Most people can drive themselves home after receiving this kind of sedation.
Oral Sedation
Whether this is a minimal sedation, like laughing gas, or moderate depends on the dosage you receive. This is when you take a pill, usually about an hour before your procedure, that will make you sleepy. Some people can fall asleep from oral sedation, although they are easy to wake.
IV Moderate Sedation
As the name implies, this is when you receive your sedative through a vein, so it will work quickly and is easy for your dentist to adjust.
Deep Sedation And General Anesthesia
Most commonly associated with wisdom teeth removal, this is when your dental sedation renders you either almost unconscious or entirely unconscious.
Is It Safe To Be Sedated For Dental Work?
So, you can be sedated for dental work. But as with anything involving drugs, especially something like a sedative, people wonder whether or not it is safe to be sedated for dental work.
As with anything, there is always risk associated with getting anesthesia, although it is typically quite safe, provided it is administered by an experienced healthcare professional. In order for it to be safe to be sedated for dental work, you’ll want to ensure your dentist is trained and qualified to do sedation dentistry.
Avenues Dental offers professional sedation dentistry services. Our dentists are very experienced, so you can rest assured that it is quite safe to receive sedation dentistry at our office. To learn more about sedation dentistry or to schedule an appointment, contact us today!
