Methods of sedation dentistry may involve local anesthesia. This is the most common method of pain relief and starts off with a numbing gel before an injection is administered which will numb the area sufficiently to allow the procedure to take place. The effects of the anesthesia may last from 5 minutes to a few hours. The next most common form of sedation is nitrous oxide which is also known as laughing gas. Nitrous oxide is inhaled by the patient that gives the patient a feeling of lightheadedness almost immediately. There are currently studies being conducted to assess the possibilities of combining hypnosis with the use of nitrous oxide to deepen the calming effect of the gas.

Other forms of sedation dentistry used by dentists are not quite so commonly practiced but are becoming more the way of the future. Oral conscious sedation involves a pill which is administered before treatment to send the patient into a drowsy state. The patient never loses consciousness but their awareness is diminished to the point where they are in a calm, relaxed state.

For more serious surgery it may be necessary to use a general anesthetic to render the patient completely unconscious. The effects of a general anesthetic may last for hours but once the patient has regained consciousness they are usually allowed to leave the surgery from 2 to 4 hours after treatment.

Bordering on the conscious and unconscious state is a process known as intravenous sedation which may also be referred to as conscious sedation. In this case the patient will have no memory of the procedure even though they are awake throughout it and can respond to the dentist if necessary. It is administered by a specialist who is stays with the dentist during the procedure.

Sedation dentistry depends on the kind of surgery that is required as well as the patient that is about to undertake the surgery and their level of discomfort or apprehension. The dentist will discuss what is appropriate with his patient what action is best.

Not all dentists perform sedation dentistry so you will have to do some homework in order to find a qualified sedation dentist before contacting them to get more details about their qualifications. You will want to discuss the nature of your fears and anxieties with the dentists so they can cater to your needs. Cosmetic dentistry doesn’t have to be a painful affair and sedation dentistry should give you the assurance to go ahead that you need.

A recent ABC article cites an oral surgeon who is disturbed by the trend of using the technique saying that many dentists are not trained to deal with the complications.

“These drugs can depress respiration and depress cardiovascular activity,” said Pollan, DMD, MS, oral maxillofacial surgeon, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, N.Y.

“It’s very easy for a patient to slip from moderate to deep by adding additional medications, and before you know it, you have a patient that’s over-sedated and in trouble”

Oral sedation has been used for everything from routine cleanings to fillings and root canals. Dentists must go through a minimum of 24 hours of training in sedating patients and 10 clinical experiences administering the medications. Most patients are not put completely to sleep but rather are in a semi-conscious state.

For patients who are deathly afraid of visiting the dentist, it would seem that any perceived risks of sedation dentistry are far outweighed by the fear of sitting in that dentist chair without any kind of chemical assistance.

The cost of undergoing conscious oral sedation dentistry can run up to $500.

But dental surgery doesn’t have to be something that’s feared, and any surgery can be completely painless thanks to oral sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry is also sometime referred to as sleep dentistry and it involves using a combination of sedative and pain relieving drugs to put you into a relaxed state. Often times, the state you are placed under is referred to merely as an anxiety free state where you are simply made comfortable while the dentist does the necessary work.

When sedation dentistry is involved, the patient is not actually asleep but is in a twilight sort of condition. The reason for this is that the patient must be able to verbally and physically respond to cues from the dentist.

The use of sedation dentistry during dental surgery means that there is no real reason to fear a trip to the dentist. Reports from patients who have been placed under dental sedation have explained their experience as one of deep relaxation with no memory of the procedure at all.

You will need to find a qualified sedation dentist who can perform sedation dentistry. The dentist must be authorized to perform oral sedation and have performed the appropriate training. Ask your dentist if they have attended programs by the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation which is where over 10,000 dental professionals have been trained in the field of sedation.

A calm, relaxed visit to the dentist has got to be a more reassuring way to look forward to a visit to the dentist. Sedation dentistry will give you the opportunity to have a much more positive outlook to oral health care.