Many kids experience anxiety in relation to undergoing dental work or to visiting the dentist at all, a fear known as dental phobia. In almost every case of dental phobia, sedation dentistry, in which the patient’s anxiety is relieved by the use of medication, is the solution.
Reasons For Sedation Dentistry
In addition to being very helpful to patients who experience dental phobia, sedation dentistry in useful for patients who:
- Gag easily
- Have difficulty sitting still
- Have sensitive teeth or gums
- Require a large amount of dental work
- Have a low threshold for pain
During sedation dentistry, varying degrees of sedation may be used, depending on the needs of the patient and the type of procedure being performed.
Levels Of Sedation
The point of sedation dentistry is to provide peace of mind to the patient undergoing treatment.
Sedation for dental patients may be administered in a number of ways, depending on the procedure being performed and on the physical and emotional needs of the patient.
Inhaled Minimal Sedation
One way of administering sedation is by having the patient breath in nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) through a mask placed over the nose. Although the nitrous oxide will definitely put the patient into a relaxed state, the gas wears off quickly.
Nitrous oxide is sometimes used as a safe alternative on children who are phobic or uncooperative about dental treatment.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation is the most common type used in sedation dentistry. It ranges from minimal to moderate and is administered in liquid form.
Children are given a dose of oral medication which is carefully administered according to their age and weight.
IV Moderate Sedation
This type of moderate sedation is administered intravenously, and it works almost immediately. It also has the advantage that the dentist can adjust the dosage as needed during the procedure.
Deep Sedation And General Anesthesia
Sedation dentistry is very helpful for patients who experience discomfort and anxiety about visiting the dentist. Whichever type of sedation they receive enables them to feel comfortable in the dentist’s chair, even when undergoing lengthy or complicated procedures. As a matter of fact, patients under sedation frequently experience the sensation that a prolonged procedure has only last a minute or two. Sedation dentistry also has the advantage of allowing the dentist to perform a great deal of work during only a few sessions because the patient is comfortably at rest.