Why Sedation Dentistry Is Recommended for More Extensive Dental Treatments

Sedation dentistry involves using sedatives to help keep patients relaxed and calm during treatments. It is often used to make dental appointments bearable for people with dental anxiety — a condition that leads to unjustified fears about visiting a dentist.

Dental sedation is also used to help keep patients relaxed when extensive dental treatments are being performed. For example, patients who opt to have all four of their wisdom teeth extracted at the same time might be placed under sedation to make the process go more smoothly.

How sedation dentistry can make extensive dental procedures go more smoothly

Not all dental procedures can be completed in an hour or less. Some patients have severely damaged teeth that require lots of work and this can take several hours.

For example, a person who has been in a vehicle accident might need extensive work done on their teeth and jaw. The combined treatments such a person needs might take an entire day to complete. Sedation dentistry can be used to put the patient in a limited state of consciousness, allowing the dentist to work without interruptions. This helps shorten the time it takes to complete the treatment without making the patient go through several appointments.

Some of the sedatives a dentist might recommend in order to help get their patients through extensive dental treatments include:

• Nitrous oxide: Popularly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a fast-acting gas that only takes a few minutes to take effect. It puts the patient in a relaxed state, so they barely notice the dentist working on their teeth. Side effects are rare with this sedative, and it wears off just as fast as it takes effect. Patients who have been treated with nitrous oxide are often able to drive themselves home, provided they were not given any other sedatives that can impair their ability to operate a motor vehicle
• Oral sedatives: Medication, like Valium, might be prescribed to patients to help keep them relaxed for extensive dental treatments. The sedatives can also help patients with dental anxiety to make it to their appointment. For such people, the hours leading up to their appointments are typically when their anxiety is at its worst
• IV sedatives: This type of sedation involves inserting an intravenous line into the patient’s arm to supply a steady flow of sedatives. These sedatives keep the patient semi-unconscious, so they are not aware of the dentist working on their mouth or how long the procedure takes
• General anesthesia: This is the deepest level of sedation, and it is typically reserved for the most extensive treatments like the surgical reconstruction of a patient’s mouth. The patient will be fully unconscious when under the effects of these sedatives, and they will need medical equipment to help with their breathing

Explore your sedation dentistry options

Sedation dentistry allows your dentist to get more work done while making your appointment a lot more pleasant and comfortable. Contact our Normal clinic to learn more about sedation dentistry.

Request an appointment here: https://voguedental.com or call Vogue Dental at (309) 449-8888 for an appointment in our Normal office.

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