Methods of Sedation Available To the Dentist
After spending a couple of articles discussing the use of sedation dentistry to calm fearful patients before and during dental surgery and the possible cons of using sedation, we will now take a brief look at some of the pain management options available to the dentist. The range of choices include oral medications, inhalation agents or intravenous sedation or a combination of a couple of these methods.
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.
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