What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Dental anxiety can create a huge barrier when trying to access routine dental care. A visit to the dentist for some people can be extremely difficult. This is where sedation dentistry could work for you.

Types Of Sedation

There are two types of sedation available, intravenous sedation and inhalation sedation.

Intravenous sedation is administered by the dentist through your vein. IV sedation provides several benefits:

• It starts working quickly, and you feel minimal to no pain during the procedure.
• The dentist can monitor your vitals and easily adjust the the dosage.
• It creates a long period of amnesia so you won’t remember the procedure at all when you wake up.
• It allows you to cooperate for a more extended period so more than one procedure can be performed in one appointment.

Inhalation sedation involves breathing in nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. The gas helps you to relax and your dentist can control the amount of sedation you receive. The gas tends to wear off quickly.

Who Can Have Sedation?

Sedation is most appropriate for people who suffer with moderate to severe dental anxiety. It may also be appropriate for people who:

• Have a low pain threshold.
• Can’t sit still in the dentist’s chair.
• Have very sensitive teeth.
• Have a bad gag reflex.
• Need a large amount of dental work completed.