What is Sedation Dentistry, Its Types, Preparation & Procedure
Dental checkups are an essential part of any health care plan. Your oral health plays a part in the state of your overall health. You get to enjoy various services that range from preventive care to restorative dentistry. However, your oral health might suffer if you have dental phobia or anxiety.
Missing out on your dental appointments will mean that certain issues will not be solved, whereas others might cost you a tooth or two. That’s why our dentist offers sedation dentistry in Huntington, New York, to ensure that all our patients receive the dental care they need.
Sedation dentistry might seem new to you but keep reading to learn more about it.
Sedation Dentistry: Quick Review
You might have come across certain terms like “anxiety-free”, “relaxation” or “sleep dentistry” – all these terms refer to sedation dentistry. It is a dental service involving medication to help our patients with dental anxiety or phobia relax and receive dental care.
Our sedation dentist near you will examine you to determine the type of sedation and the level of sedation.
Our dentist will recommend you receive sedation dentistry if you have dental phobia or anxiety. However, you can also benefit from this service if you:
- Have a low pain threshold
- Need extensive dental work
- Are not able to sit still during the dental appointment
- Have a sensitive gag reflex
Types of Sedation Dentistry & Their Procedure
Each patient has a unique need that our dentist has to meet for optimum dental care. That’s why we strive to offer options that meet everyone’s needs. So, the types of sedation dentistry are:
1. Inhalation Sedation
Just as the name suggests, you will receive the sedative via inhalation. The mode of sedation uses nitrous oxide, which you might know as “laughing gas.” When you come for treatment, our dentist will ask you to sit in the dentist’s chair and place a gas mask over your nose and mouth. Our Huntington dentist will proceed and administer a specific amount of nitrous oxide via the mask.
Once you inhale the gas, you will feel relaxed and even laugh at times. But the gas doesn’t make you sleep. You can chat with our dentist throughout the procedure. When the procedure is complete, our dentist will turn off the gas and then remove the gas mask. The effects of the gas will wear off almost immediately.
Inhalation sedation is mild and safe and is the best option for kids.
2. Oral Sedation
Oral sedation involves administering the sedative orally. Levels of oral sedation may be mild or moderate, depending on the dosage. Our dentist will give you the recommended dosage depending on your specific needs.
In a few moments after you take the sedative, you will feel relaxed and calm enough to undergo treatment. Unlike inhalation sedation, oral sedation can lead to drowsiness, and you might even nap during the procedure. However, you will still be conscious and aware of where you are and can converse with your dentist.
The details about the procedure might be a bit hazy since you might be in and out of it. The effects also take a bit longer to wear off, so you might need someone to take you home.
3. Intravenous Sedation
In this mode of sedation, our dentist administers the sedative via your veins. You can expect the sedative to kick in faster than the other form. Our dentist can alter the levels of sedation based on what you need. But in any case, the level of sedation usually shuttles between moderate to deep sedation.
Our dentist will commence by prepping your vein and then administer the sedative via the vein. You will feel relaxed almost immediately, and depending on the dosage, you might be unconscious or almost unconscious during the procedure.
Our dentist will always recommend IV sedation if you have severe dental anxiety or you need to undergo extensive dental work.
How to Prepare for Sedation
You will probably not be at your best after sedation, so you might need to prepare a bit more than your normal dental checkup. You might not need any kind of preparation if you are going to receive inhalation sedation.
If you are undergoing the other types of sedation (oral and IV), you might need to wear comfortable clothes, avoid eating 6-8 hours before sedation, and stop taking any medications. Also, provide your complete medical history.
Since it takes some time before the sedative clears from your body, you might feel drowsy for several hours. Therefore, ensure that someone will come to pick you up after your appointment.
Visit a Sedation Dentist Near You
In any case, if you have any questions about getting oral sedation in Huntington, you might contact us at Smile Huntington, and we would love to help you.