Did you know that around 9 to 20% of people avoid getting dental treatment because of fear or anxiety? Even the thought of a routine teeth cleaning can make many people's bodies get tense with fear. As a result, some individuals would rather deal with a toothache than head into a dental office.
If you're one of the many people who avoid going to the dentist, sedation dentistry might help take away some of your fear and anxiety. As a sedation dentist in Methuen, MA, Branch Street Dental is experienced in helping our patients work through their fears in a caring and compassionate environment.
This guide will discuss the benefits and different types of sedation and which is the best option for you.
Sedation dentistry utilizes different medications to help people relax during dental appointments. Another term for it is "sleep dentistry," but that's not accurate. That's because patients are usually awake during their appointments even while under sedation.
There are a few different levels of sedation. They are as follows:
The level of sedation your dentist in Methuen, MA gives you depends upon your procedure and comfort level.
There are multiple types of sedation that are used in dental procedures. Your dentist can give you more information about them when you go in for your consultation appointment.
The dosage for oral sedation can be moderate or minimal. Minimal sedation involves the patient taking a pill about an hour before their procedure. The patient will feel drowsy but will be awake.
Moderate sedation involves a larger dose. Patients might experience grogginess and even fall asleep during their dental procedure. However, they can usually be awoken by being shaken gently.
With inhaled sedation, patients breathe in nitrous oxide. Another term for nitrous oxide is laughing gas. A mask is placed over the patient's nose and they breathe in nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen.
Your dentist can control how much sedation you receive. Inhaled sedation also wears off fast, so patients can typically drive themselves home afterward.
During IV sedation, patients receive a drug through a vein. The sedative drug works very quickly. Dentists can also adjust how much medication the patient receives during the procedure.
With general anesthesia or deep sedation, a patient will receive medications that make them totally or almost unconscious. They won't be able to be awoken easily after their procedure. Patients will have to wait until the effects of the drug wear off.
There are a variety of reasons a patient should consider sedation dentistry. Even if you're not afraid of the dentist or going through a major procedure, you can still benefit from sedation dentistry.
As we mentioned earlier, many people associate the dentist with fear of pain. If you decide to go with sedation dentistry, you won't have to worry about any discomfort. Your dentist might also administer a local anesthetic to ensure your dental procedure is completely pain-free.
The injection of a local anesthetic can also cause fear in patients if they're afraid of needles. A mild sedative can not only numb the pain sensations that are associated with injections, but get rid of the fear of needles.
Under mild sedation, you feel much more relaxed. This can cause you to feel like time is going by much faster than it is. It could also result in you having no or little memory of your procedure.
The patients that don't remember anything from their procedure think that they were asleep during it. That's because the medication used in mild sedation causes full or partial amnesia. You won't remember anything from your procedure, ensuring that your fear of the dentist doesn't grow.
Gagging is your body's natural way to stop something from entering your airway. Some people have a more prominent gag reflex than others. People who have a high gag reflex might have issues with dental procedures.
Mild sedation can help minimize your gag reflex. You can go through your dental procedures interrupted and without issue.
Additionally, if your teeth and gums are sensitive, sedation dentistry can help. It can reduce the issues patients encounter with hypersensitivity.
For most forms of sedation, the effects of the drugs used will wear off quickly. The average recovery time is around 30 minutes. You'll be monitored carefully to ensure it's safe to discharge you.
You might feel a little sleepy after sedation, so you might want someone available to drive you home.
Undergoing a complex dental treatment without sedation can result in multiple visits to your dentist. That's because there's only so much dental work a patient can undergo during one appointment.
Dental sedation will save you time since you won't have to go in for additional appointments. Your dentist can do an extensive treatment during one appointment. As a result, you'll save time and money since you don't have to go in for multiple appointments.
At Branch Street Dental, we're certified and trained in Oral Conscious Sedation (OCS). It's a safe and effective way to eliminate or reduce a patient's fear of the dentist. You'll be able to breathe on your own and participate in conversations while under OCS.
Contact our office today to make an appointment with the best sedation dentist in Methuen, MA.
