How healthy are your teeth? Although many people are quick to underestimate their dental health, the fact of the matter is that there are a lot of different elements that play into overall dental wellness. From how often you brush and floss to how regularly you attend regular checkups, it is important to stay in close communication with your dentist, especially if you come down with a new symptom. The purpose of this website is to help people to understand and resolve dental issues, since small symptoms can lead to big problems down the road. Check out these posts to learn more about dental care.
Sedation dentistry allows dental patients to undergo treatment without anxiety, discomfort, or pain. Sedation dentistry involves the administration of drugs that calm or induce sleep in the dental patient. Sedation is particularly important to those who suffer from dental anxiety or need extensive treatments. Below are some of the various forms of sedation dentistry in use today.
Gaseous Sedation
Nitrous oxide, which many people refer to as laughing gas, is a mild sedative. The sedative is delivered via a nose apparatus in controlled amounts. Nitrous oxide will not send you to sleep as long as it is appropriately administered. However, the right dosage will get you calm and relaxed enough so that you can get your dental treatment.
Laughing gas works relatively fast, so it won't prolong your dental treatment longer than necessary. At the same time, it also wears out relatively faster than other sedatives. Thus, you will be able to drive yourself home after your treatment if you had nitrous oxide. That is not necessarily true for all sedatives.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation typically comes in the form of pills that you swallow. Dentists use various forms of oral sedatives, such as hydroxyzine, benzodiazepines, and promethazine, among others. Oral sedation doesn't work as fast as nitrous oxide, so you have to take it some time before your treatment. Your doctor will let you know when to take the medication, but it is often around an hour before your appointment. Oral sedation is stronger than laughing gas, but it also won't send you to sleep.
Although you will be awake during your oral sedation, you are unlikely to remember much of the treatment once the dentist is done. Since the effects of oral sedation don't wear out fast enough, you will need someone to give you a ride home after the procedure.
Intravenous Sedation
Intravenous (IV) sedation is delivered directly into the bloodstream. There are two types of IV sedation; twilight sedation and general anesthesia. Twilight sedation makes you sleepy and takes you to the edge of unconsciousness, but you won't be exactly unconscious. General anesthesia will get you totally unconscious, and you won't feel or remember anything.
IV sedation, especially general anesthesia, is only reserved for extreme cases. For example, those who need dental surgery, those who have experienced dental trauma, or those who have difficulty getting relaxed with the other forms of sedation dentistry. Again, the effects of IV sedation are relatively strong, and you won't be able to drive yourself home after the procedure.
Contact a local clinic like Blue Ash Dental Group to learn about the sedation options they offer.