All You Should Know About Sedation Dentistry

Do you get anxious even at the thought of visiting a dental clinic? Would you rather bear the agony of an excruciating toothache rather than visiting the dentist? Are you delaying dental treatment because of a bad dental experience?

You aren’t alone. Many people are so fearful about visiting a dentist that they prefer avoiding the treatment altogether.

This is extremely harmful to your dental health as well as overall well-being. Thankfully, various therapies eliminate the pain during a dental procedure and help overcome your anxiety.

Sedation dentistry can help patients alleviate their dental anxiety and change their overall experience.

Don’t delay your dental treatment. Know everything about sedation dentistry before you go for your dental treatment.

Find the best family dentist in Warriewood, offering you the best dental treatment.

All you need to know about Sedation Dentistry

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation can be administered for every procedure, from simple tooth cleaning to complex invasive procedures. It depends on the severity of anxiety and fear.

Sedation dentistry involves the administration of medications that help you to relax during an ongoing dental procedure. Depending on the complexity of treatment and your anxiety level, your dentist may suggest you the following levels of sedation-

• Minimal sedation – you’re fully awake but relaxed.
• Moderate sedation – you may have slurred speech and not remember the procedure.
• Deep sedation – you’re on the edge of consciousness, but you can still be awakened.
• General anesthesia – you’re fully unconscious.

What Types Of Sedation Your Dentist Can Recommend?

Inhaled Minimal Sedation Using Nitric Oxide

Inhaling nitric oxide (happy gas) is an effective method to reduce anxiety during dental procedures for children and adults.

Before and during the dental treatment, the dentist will guide you to inhale the colourless, odourless gas blended with oxygen, through a mask, which can help you relax.

The anesthetic effect of this sedative wears off after 5-10 minutes. You can even drive back after the dental procedure.

Oral Sedation Using Benzodiazepines

Diazepam is a common oral sedative used for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorders and phobic states. This moderate sedative can help you relax during a stressful dental procedure and is relatively harmless.

It will not make you completely unconscious, but some people may experience sleepiness until it wears off. Your dentist will usually recommend taking the pill an hour before the procedure.

IV or Twilight Sedation

If you’re extremely anxious and fearful about a dental procedure, IV sedation is the best option.

IV (intravenous) sedation can be administered in surgery by an anaesthetist or dentist with special training in IV sedation. It’s comparatively milder than a full anaesthetic. It’ll generally make you feel like you just had a short nap for 10 minutes.

Are You Eligible For Dental Sedation?

Thankfully, sedation dentistry aims to relax any patients who’re at the risk of feeling nervous or fearful during a dental procedure.

Sedation during a dental procedure is most appropriate if you-

• Have a very low threshold for pain.
• Have an extremely sensitive gag reflex
• Feel anxious and unable to sit still in the dentist’s chair during the procedure
• Have very delicate oral nerve sensation
• Required to undergo a lengthy process with a large amount of dental work.
• Had bad experiences with dental treatment and experienced dental anxiety.
• Have small mouth cavity with a tendency to develop sores
• Develop resistance or are allergic to local anaesthetic
• Suffering from general anxiety disorder

Explain your dental anxiety before any dental procedure, and your dentist will recommend the best sedation dentistry option for you.

At United Dental Clinic, experienced dentists perform a thorough diagnosis and understand your condition to offer you the best suited dental therapy. 

How Sedation Dentistry Works?

When you visit a reputed dental clinic like United Dental Clinic for your dental procedure, it usually takes around 20 minutes for an expert anaesthetist or trained dentist to insert the IV line and administer sedation.

Topical anaesthetic can also be applied beforehand on your skin to minimise the sensation of the line being inserted.

During dental treatment, trained dental experts constantly monitor your blood pressure, pulse rate and oxygen saturation. If you have multiple procedures, the sedation level may be adjusted, with more being administered during extraction and less for a dental filling.

This will help you feel better relaxed and comfortable, irrespective of the procedure.

Before And After The Dental Procedure

Expert and experienced family dentist in Warriewood performs the following before and after any dental procedures-

• Taking your detailed medical history: During a preliminary appointment, dental specialists or anesthetics will carefully go through your medical history to evaluate risks during sedation dentistry.

• Post-procedure preparation: After a short recovery period, you’ll be awake and can’t get up and walk around. However, if you sit down or rest, you may feel drowsy. Therefore, it is recommended to not drive or use heavy equipment after IV sedation. Moreover, someone should accompany you at home after the procedure.

Don’t shy away from a dental procedure. Get your oral checkup done today.