How Sedation Dentistry Eases Your Dental Anxiety
Many people feel anxious when they think of a visit to their dentist; the excruciating pain during dental procedures shuns people away from dental check-ups or visits to their dentist for any dental procedure. But you do not have to worry anymore. With the advancement in modern dentistry, different types of pain-numbing procedures are available at our sedation dentistry in El Dorado Hills.
What Does Sedation Dentistry Involve?
Sedation dentistry involves techniques that the dentist uses before and during a dental procedure to numb pain, make you feel comfortable and calm during lengthy procedures. An example commonly known to most people is the laughing gas used in crowns or root canal procedures. But there are more complex and varied types with lots of options for anxious patients or those who fear going to the dentist’s office near them.
Dental sedation is also termed sleep dentistry; although not all the types involve sleeping, some do. Sedation helps numb your nerves, and sometimes you may not feel any pain while receiving the shot. However, sometimes some of these types may completely numb you, and you may not remember undergoing the procedure, even though you were awake the entire time.
The Different Types of Dental Sedation
The following are the most used types of sedation dentistry:
- Laughing Gas
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is the most familiar type of sedation dentistry. It is used to relax patients during dental procedures. A patient inhales the gas while they are conscious, but since it is gas, it will wear off very quickly once you stop the process of inspiration. So, if you only receive the laughing gas as a sedative, you are allowed to drive yourself home after undergoing the dental procedure.
Your dentist will give you a nose apparatus which you will breathe the gas. The gas will affect you immediately; at times, as soon as 30 or fewer seconds after breathing it in. The effects are mild. Some patients are calm enough when they use nitrous oxide, and they may not need any other form of sedation. Others may need oral sedation combined with the laughing gas.
- Oral sedation
It is also termed as conscious sedation, and it involves taking a dose of a sedative prescribed by your dentist before the procedure. The dosage varies with the procedure, and you can take one pill the night before and another one an hour before the procedure or otherwise as prescribed by your dentist. This sedation keeps you awake but relaxed during the procedure, and it is so beneficial to patients with a high level of anxiety.
Although you are awake, you might not remember anything or just very little of the procedure. Depending on the patient’s cases, sometimes under oral sedation, there may be equipment that monitors your blood pressure, heart rate, or breathing. This type of sedative will have sleeping effects on you, but the effects will have worn off by the following day.
- IV Sedation
Intravenous sedation is a type of sedation where an anti-anxiety drug is administered through your blood veins during dental treatment. It has some variations, such as twilight, where you remain conscious but unaware of what’s happening around you. You will feel sleepy during the twilight IV sedation, and you may not recall the procedure once it is done. However, you will remain conscious, and your dentist can wake you up at any moment if need be.
The other available option though not so common is general anesthesia. It is only for patients who require oral surgery or are immune to the different types of sedation dentistry. This sedation mainly takes place in a specialized clinic or a hospital where an anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist administering the anesthesia and monitoring your signs during the procedure is present.
Finding Sedation Dentistry in Eldorado Hills
El Dorado Hills Town Centre Dental offers you sedation dentistry besides other types of dental services. The services include preventive dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and restorative dentistry. Visit our dentist near you today at 95762 to improve the aesthetic of your teeth without feeling anxious or uncomfortable. Fill our online form or give us a call today to schedule an appointment.