Many people are afraid of the dentist no matter how important it is that they receive dental care. Thankfully, many dentists now offer sedation for dentistry services, allowing you to sleep or calm down as the professionals provide dental services. For many people, this is a game changer.
This article will describe some of the sedation options available through various dental offices.
Nitrous Oxide
When you breathe in nitrous oxide — also known as laughing gas — you will relax. Your entire body will feel less tense, allowing the dentist to perform the necessary work. You should feel the effects of the gas quite soon, sometimes less than a minute after wearing the mask.
The benefit of nitrous oxide is that its effects wear off quickly after the dentist takes away the mask. This means you may be able to drive yourself home after the procedure, which is not a possibility with most other options.
Sometimes dentists use laughing gas in conjunction with other sedation methods, specifically oral medication.
Oral Medication
The dentist may use a medication you take orally to allow you to relax, and it works similarly to the way Valium does. You will typically take the medication about an hour before the dental procedure. With this medication, you will feel very drowsy, but you will typically still be awake.
This method of sedation is great for somebody who has anxiety about the dentist but will benefit from simply being able to relax.
IV Sedation
For a quick sedation, the dentist may use an IV to direct the medication into your veins. One advantage of IV sedation is that it allows the dentist to adjust the level of sedation you experience. Most people with IV sedation are put into "twilight sleep" where they are easily awakened in case the dentist needs you to move. You are unlikely to have any memory of the procedure after you wake up.
General Anesthesia
For some cases, the dentist will utilize general anesthesia or deep sedation. This medication will help you fall into a deep sleep, the same kind of sleep you would be in if you were undergoing a surgical procedure.
Unfortunately, general anesthesia can leave you quite groggy for a while. For that reason, this method is used only in rare circumstances.
You may still have questions about which level of sedation is right for you. Get in touch with a dentist like Summit Oral Surgery to learn more about dental sedation offerings.
Share25 October 2018
