Top 5 Advantages of Choosing Sedation Dentistry

Do you feel stressed by the thought of having your teeth cleaned? Would you rather endure the pain of a toothache than step into the office of a dentist? Guess what, you are not alone. Most people are phobic about visiting dentists that they prefer not to have any treatment. For scared people, sedation dentistry can take away some of this anxiety.

Dentists can use sedation to do various procedures from simple tooth cleaning to invasive procedures. The Dental Anesthesia Center reports that sedation dentistry has helped patients to overcome health issues and fear that kept them from seeking dental care. Examples of people who would benefit from sedation dentistry include patients with dental trauma, patients with claustrophobia, patients with low pain tolerance, and those who are fidgety. 

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is a field of dentistry that uses medication to help patients relax while undertaking dental procedures. Unlike general anesthesia, the patient remains awake during the whole procedure. Sedation involves different levels which include moderate sedation, minimal sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia. Nowadays, adult oral sedation dentistry is an essential course for every dentist. Many dentists have benefited from this training. Under this course, dentists learn to implement sedation, expand their knowledge, and become better clinicians, reach a broader base, and streamline their practice. 

The following are the types of sedation used in dentistry:

Inhaled minimal sedation-a mask placed in your nose provides nitrous oxide and oxygen. The gas helps you to relax.

Oral sedation-you can take a pill for minimal sedation, such as Valium or Halcion. The medicine will make you drowsy but awake.

IV moderate sedation– the dentist administers the sedation drug via a vein, and it works quickly

General anesthesia/deep sedation– the medication will make you profoundly unconscious, and you are not awake until the side effects wear off.

Advantages of Choosing Sedation Dentistry

Here are the top 5 advantages of sedation dentistry

• It Is Quicker For The Dentist To Work

Under sedation, a person is not going to complain or move around when the doctor is working. It is common for most people to get nervous and fidgety when they are sitting in a dentist’s chair. Using sedation holds up a person as the dentist is trying to do his or her work. The best option to use is sedation if you want to get in and out of the dentist’s chair as quickly as possible. Under sedation, the dentist will be able to get their work done swiftly and efficiently without worrying about your reaction to the procedure slowing them down.

• There is No Pain

Pain is what scares most people when they contemplate having a dental procedure. Understandably, there is nobody who likes to feel pain in his or her gums or teeth. One of the main advantages of sedation dentistry is that there is no pain.

Everyone wants a pain free dental care, and this is why most people are going for sedation dentistry nowadays. Therefore, if you have been avoiding a much-needed visit to the dentist because of your fear of the pain involved, it is time to fix an appointment and get a painless treatment.

• It Helps You To Forget Anxiety and Fear

At times, our anxiety and fear about visiting a dentist are worse than the visit itself. For some people, the anxiety and fear linger for weeks leading up to their appointment day. The findings of a study by two scientists show that dental anxiety and fear are common in both children and adults due to the high intensity of pain.  In another study, the researcher contends that 9%-15% of Americans avoid visiting a dentist because of fear and anxiety. That percentage represents about 30-40 million people.

Similarly, another study reports that 36% of people that fail to see a dentist regularly cited fear as the main reason. However, with sedation dentistry, as soon as you receive the sedation, your anxiety and fear will quickly disappear. You will be too pain-free and sedated to have anxiety and worries. It means a lot to many people when they know that they will not go through the sensation of fear.

• You Will Not Suffer Painful Memories

The painful memories from previous experiences are one of the things that put people off going back to their dentist. For example, if you had a bad experience with one dentist, you will always remember it whenever you need to visit a dentist. Such painful memories can prevent one from seeking treatment, and they end up missing their scheduled appointments with a dentist. Missing an appointment is not good for dental health. However, sedation dentistry comes in to save the situation by giving you a painless experience that is free of fear and anxiety so that you will no longer have painful memories in the future.

• Though Sedated, You are Still Awake and Can Respond to the Dentist

Some people may worry that when sedated; they cannot move or hear anything like in aesthetic surgeries. This is not the case with sedation because you are still awake. It means that you can still respond to the dentist if there is any need for this to happen. During sedation dentistry, the doctor will not put you to sleep. Instead, you will be more relaxed and feel at ease throughout the procedure. It is essential that you remain awake because, at times, there may be simple questions that the doctor needs to ask, or they may require you to open your mouth or stay in a particular position.  

Conclusion

Several medications are now available to help create a comfortable and more relaxed dental visit. Some of these medications control pain and others help you to relax. When visiting a dentist, you can take that opportunity to discuss various factors when deciding which drugs to use for your treatment. Sedation dentistry is very beneficial in relieving pain, anxiety, and leaving you relaxed and comfortable throughout the procedure. If you have been postponing that appointment due to fear of pain, now is the time to contact your dentist and get a painless treatment.