Sedation dentistry is commonly thought of as an option for dental surgery and patients with dental anxiety. But it provides benefits to many other types of patients as well. Brighter Smile Family Dentistry and Orthodontics provides quality sedation dentistry in Sterling, VA. Learn more about how it can benefit you.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is the practice of using medication to relax and calm the patient for their dental procedure. At Brighter Smile, we offer three different kinds of sedation for our patients.
First is nitrous oxide, often called laughing gas. This is inhaled through the nose throughout the procedure. The gas both takes effect and wears off quickly so you should be able to drive yourself to and from your appointment. Laughing gas allows you to stay relaxed throughout the procedure, but alert enough to answer any questions asked by the dentist.
Next, we offer oral conscious sedation. This offers a deeper sedation than nitrous oxide and is administered as a prescribed pill taken before your appointment. Since it takes longer to wear off, you’ll need someone to drive you to and from your procedure. While the pill doesn’t intentionally put you to sleep, you may fall asleep or not remember parts of your procedure.
Lastly, general anesthesia is available. This is sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry. It’s the deepest form of sedation available and makes the patient unconscious. This is typically only recommended for complex and extensive procedures.
Sedation Dentistry’s Benefits
It is true that sedation dentistry is primarily for patients that suffer from dental anxiety or a fear of the dentist. Depending on the level of fear, patients may avoid regular dental care altogether. This usually results in more severe and complex dental problems that take longer to fix. Sedation dentistry both helps people come in for preventative care visits and allows them to get more extensive restorative dentistry if it’s warranted.
Sedation dentistry is also ideal for children and patients with certain medical conditions. A movement disorder or other medical problems may make it hard for the patient to sit still for a prolonged period. This can make the treatment dangerous for the patient depending on the procedure being done. Sedation allows them to get this treatment safely and quickly.
If you need to get multiple dental procedures done in one day, sedation helps with this as well. It’s easier for both you and the dentist if patients can be sedated during long sessions. It’s more comfortable for you and allows the dentist to work quickly. If you have dental sensitivity or a low pain tolerance, sedation dentistry may be recommended to you for certain procedures.
Lastly, sedation is ideal for people with strong gag reflexes. A gag reflex essentially fights the dentist while they’re trying to give you the treatment you need. It also makes the treatment attempts longer and extremely uncomfortable for the patient. Sedation helps the gag reflex to relax so that the proper treatment can be performed.
Getting Sedation Dentistry in Sterling, Virginia
Does sedation dentistry sound like a way to make your dental experience better? Call us or schedule an appointment online.