Sedative dentistry is a type of dental treatment that uses medications to help patients relax during dental procedures. It's sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry, although it's not entirely accurate. Patients are usually awake with the exception of those under general anesthesia. The mildest option is nitrous oxide, commonly called laughing gas.
A mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen relaxes the body and leaves it in a state of calm and sedation. However, you're still awake and able to respond to commands and give feedback. This mild sedation wears off soon after you remove your mask, and you can drive home yourself in no time at all. General anesthesia is the only true option of sleep dentistry.
Under general anesthesia, patients remain completely unconscious throughout the treatment process. This ensures total comfort and relaxation, even during the most advanced oral surgery. For your safety, your vital signs will be closely monitored throughout your treatment and, if you are at increased risk of complications, we may recommend that you have the procedure done in a hospital. Intravenous sedation is when the patient is sedated by injecting a particular type of drug through a plastic tube into a vein in the hand or arm.
This sedative medication will leave the patient relaxed and very drowsy during the course of treatment. In addition, once you are under the influence of sedation, you will be given an injection of local anesthesia that will numb your mouth before starting treatment.
Dentists
usually administer local anesthetics with a short needle at several locations along the gum line. In light of this modern phenomenon, this review finally aims to end the confusion, speculation and common myths surrounding the world of dentistry, sedation and phobias.Being afraid of going to the dentist has become a comedic trope among modern comedies and new media channels; however, its real prevalence in the world of psychology should not be underestimated. Many patients express concern about the connotations of vulnerability and possible discomfort that surround visits to the dentist. However, if you postpone dental treatment because you fear pain or any other part of the job, sleep dentistry might offer the best solution. If you're taking an oral sedative, for example, your dentist will prescribe the medication and give you instructions on how to take it.
While you will be able to answer the dentist's questions, the treatment procedure will be imprecise once the sedative wears off. In addition, it is estimated that up to 50% of the population fears the dentist, and many sacrifice good dental health for it. Patients report a number of sensations experienced during “sleep dentistry” depending on the type of sedative used during their procedure. So, although nitrous oxide has some pain-reducing benefits, your dentist will continue to use a local anesthetic to eliminate pain during the procedure. There are many things your dentist can do to ease the pain that comes with dental procedures, and a good dentist will ensure that you are completely comfortable with your pain management options before starting any procedure. This problematic narrative would somehow explain the NHS findings that only 22 million adult patients are seen by the dentist annually.