My Sedation Dentistry

There are many benefits of sedation dentistry. The most common one that comes to mind is that it offers a healthy solution for the many American adults (about 30 percent of the population) who are afraid of needles. Conscious sedation dentistry assists this segment of the population in actively engaging in their own dental health – a health priority that might otherwise go ignored.

The immediate benefits are the minimization of anxiety. Sedation dentists have to be almost as skilled in the psychology of patients as they are in the knowledge of dental science in order to be able to deal with anxiety. They must be able to recognize both the visible physical signs of this disorder (nausea, fatigue, insomnia, trembling, tense muscles, headaches, sweating, frequent urination, jumpiness) as well as some of the psychological signs (unrealistic views of the circumstances, excessive worry, difficulty concentrating). Keeping all of these symptoms at a minimal level of expression can ensure that the dentist has the freedom to focus only on dental work.

Sedation in dentistry is also very helpful for minimizing movement. One of the most difficult circumstances to navigate for a dentist is a “moving” patient. In children, this is to be expected, and dentists are usually prepared with some counter measures before having to resort to deep sedation practices. In adults, however, it is a much larger task to control movement. Adults cannot be lulled into believing “against” pain or distracted with the niceties of toys or artwork in the room. Sometimes, in order to control adults, it is important to use all the tools of oral sedation dentistry to get the job done.

One of the most common anti-anxiety drugs are: nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas.” It completely relaxes the patient and is used in combination with a local anesthetic, since it does not manage pain. In cases of moderate or extreme anxiety, some doctors must use IV sedation dentistry, in which the medicine is administered directly into the bloodstream of the patient. The dentist must monitor heart rate, blood pressure and breathing if IV sedation is used.

Sedation dentistry has allowed many patients who would not otherwise have made good on dental appointments to come out of hiding. Dentists and patients alike can be thankful that the wonders of sedative dentistry have been available to them in order to ensure good dental work. For the dentist, it comes down to sound dental practice and fostering good dental health. For the patient, it is all about a good, healthy smile.