Conscious Sedation Dentistry

Does the idea of having teeth cleaned makes your patient freeze up in fear? Are your patients the kind of persons who would rather have a toothache than see a dentist?

Your patients are not alone. Many people experience some level  of worry and fear about going to the dentist. If your patient have these concerns, then it’s high time you should consider Conscious sedation dentistry.

Sedation Dentistry can be used for everything from tooth cleaning to more complex procedures like dental implants.

Sedation Dentistry uses sedating medications to allow your patients to relax during a dental treatment. Sedation is not the same thing as pain medication, it only relaxes your patient.So your patients still need a painkiller for their teeth during treatment.

Below are the different types of sedation dentistry.

Inhaled Sedation

Inhaled Sedation is when you breathe a mixture of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oxygen through a mask placed over your nose. This is the only type of sedation dentistry where you may be able to drive yourself home after your appointment. Nitrous oxide tends to be very safe in children. 

Oral Sedation
Oral Sedation is taking a pill to relax. Usually the pill is Halcion, which is similar to Valium. The pill makes you drowsy, although you'll still be awake. A larger dose may be given to produce stronger sedation. Some people actually fall asleep during the procedure.

Intravenous (IV) Sedation

Intravenous (IV) Sedation is when the sedation medication goes through a tube into a vein in your arm, like a hospital IV. The advantage of the IV sedation method is that it allows the dentist to adjust exactly how much sedation medication goes into the patient.

General Anesthesia Sedation 

For General Anesthesia Sedation (or deep sedation), you will take medications that will make you unconscious during the procedure. While under general anesthesia, you cannot easily be awakened until the anesthesia wears off, or is reversed with a different type of medication. You will need someone to drive you home after the procedure. 

Only an experienced dentist may use dental sedation on a patient. 

In general, the levels of sedation dentistry include: 

Minimal sedation
(patient is awake, relaxed)

Moderate sedation
(patient may slur words and not remember much of the procedure)

Deep sedation
(patient is on the edge of consciousness, but can be awakened)

General Anesthesia
(patient is completely unconscious).

Sedation Dentistry is best for people with a real fear or anxiety that is preventing them from going to the dentist.

There is always some risk in getting anesthesia. It is safer, though, when given by experienced dentists. If you think sedation dentistry might be for you, please visit the link below for further details:

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