Types of Sedation Dentistry to Help Reduce Anxiety

Going to the dentist is a vitally important preventative healthcare habit that you should make a routine of. By getting your teeth and mouth checked out and cleaned on a regular basis can not only prevent a large number of oral health issues but can also catch and stop any developing issues early on. However important it may be, there are some people out there that absolutely cannot handle visiting the dentist out of the fear, anxiety or discomfort it may bring them. Some patients would rather endure the discomfort of a cavity or a toothache than sit in the dentist chair and undergo a cleaning. For those that severely dislike or even hate visiting the dentist, there are some options available to help make the visits less stressful. Sedation dentistry was developed to help ease patient’s anxiety over visiting the dentist and actually allow them to relax or even sleep through the exams, which result in anxiety-free, painless dental procedures.

Sedation dentistry utilizes medication to help patients relax during dental procedures to help with anxiety or fears. Often times this is referred to sleep dentistry but is not entirely accurate. There are several different types of sedation dentistry but the only one where the patient is actually unconscious is general anesthesia.

Here are the different types of sedation dentistry explained

Inhaled minimal sedation:

This is when patients are given nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” through a mask. This is a widely used type of sedation in dentist offices because it is the only form that patients are able to drive themselves home after it is used because the effects wear off quickly. The gas helps the patients relax, which eases the anxiety.

Oral conscious sedation:

Patients are given a pill that is typically in the same drug family as Valium. The level of sedation ranges from minimal to moderate depending on the size of the dose that is given. The pill is usually taken about 20 minutes to an hour before the appointment so that when the patient sits down in the chair, the effects are working. Patients will be drowsy but still awake, and dentists can even use nitrous oxide in conjunction with oral sedation to help make the patient even more relaxed for the procedure. This type of anesthesia is most commonly referred to when talking about sedation dentistry.

IV conscious sedation:

If your dentist decides that nitrous oxide or oral sedation are not the best fit, they may use an IV sedation. For this kind of sedation, the patients are hooked up IV sedative, which you will still be conscious during the whole procedure but will not be able to remember anything. The best part about this type is that you will be able to follow directions of the dentist and acknowledge if you are in any pain or discomfort but will be completely relaxed. Similar to the oral sedative, you will need to arrange a ride home after the procedure.

General anesthesia:

Some dental procedures may require the use of general anesthesia or if the patient is resistant to oral or IV sedation. General anesthesia will make the patient either almost unconscious or completely unconscious during the entire procedure. To be woken up, the effects must be reversed with medication or wait until they wear off. The patients will need to arrange rides home and wait until the following day for the effects and anesthesia to completely leave their system.

The type of sedation that is used will depend on the patient and the type of procedure that will be performed. It is generally best to go will the lowest level possible while still maintaining the most relaxed and comfortable state.

The best place for sedation dentistry in Miami is Doral Sedation & Family Dentistry. Offering all types of sedation types to make each and every visit as stress-free as possible, our experienced dentists understand the anxiety that patients may experience. Visit https://www.doralsedationdentistry.com//appointment-request/ to schedule an appointment request today!