Are your dental fears not allowing you to take of your dental need? While we are aware most people don’t particularly forward to dental visits, some find appointments challenging at best or at worst may actively avoid dental treatment. We do understand, and you’ll find all the dental team at Midtown Dentistry is sympathetic, but even better we can offer practical solutions to this problem, making dental fear a thing of the past.
Sedation dentistry can enable you to have whatever dental treatment you need, restoring your smile. It’s a great solution if you need quite a lot of work as we can get quite a lot done in just one comfortable appointment.
How Much Do You Know about Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is sometimes called sleep dentistry as with some forms of sedation you’ll be so deeply relaxed you won’t really remember anything about your treatment or even be aware of what’s happening around you so the sensation is similar to being asleep. We offer three different types of sedation dentistry depending on the level of help you require.
Nitrous Oxide
For anyone who is only slightly nervous, we have nitrous oxide or laughing gas, a mild sedative that is inhaled and which takes effect very quickly. With laughing gas you will still be aware of everything happening but you’ll feel relaxed and able to cope. The great thing about laughing gas is that once we turn off the nitrous oxide, it’s soon eliminated from the body meaning you’ll be able to drive yourself home. With all other types of sedation dentistry you’ll need someone with you to take you home and to stay with you a while afterwards just to make sure you’re okay.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation is ideal for patients who would like a bit more help than laughing gas. The sedative is given in the form of a pill, making you feel very relaxed and drowsy. Afterwards you won’t remember much of your appointment.
Intravenous Sedation
Intravenous sedation is very popular and medication is given prior to your dental treatment beginning. You won’t be aware of anything that is happening to you and you will not remember anything afterwards. While this form of sedation is quite deep, you can rest assured you’ll be completely safe as during your treatment we will have an anesthesiologist looking after you all the time.
Preparing for Sedation Dentistry
Before you can have sedation dentistry, you’ll need a full consultation with one of our dentists and an anesthesiologist. This is to make sure you receive the right kind of sedation and to ensure you are healthy enough for this treatment. Preparation may include lab tests and an electrocardiogram test as we really do want to do everything possible to keep you safe and secure during treatment. We will also assess you on the day of treatment and you’ll be continually monitored all the time.
Once treatment is completed, we will want to monitor you for a short while just to make sure you are okay before discharging you. Afterwards at this stage we will give you lots of information on what to expect for the first few hours after treatment. You’ll also receive a call from our dental office later on just to make sure you are feeling okay.
