It’s no secret that many people are a little anxious about visiting a general or cosmetic dentist. For most patients, it’s a fear of the perceived pain involved with a treatment that might put them off making a necessary appointment.
If you need dental treatment – whether it’s dental implants, a tooth extraction or Invisalign – it’s best to have it done as soon as possible. If you leave the problem or delay making the appointment, it can cause serious damage if the problem spreads to other teeth or worsens.
However, there is some relief available for patients who are anxious about their dental treatments. Sedation dentistry is designed to calm the nerves and ensure you can get the treatment you need, without experiencing fear.
Here are a few facts you may not know about sedation dentistry.
1. What is it?
The term sedation dentistry refers to the variety of options available to help patients receive the dental treatment they need.
It’s designed to achieve patient comfort while still allowing the dentist to carry out his or her work without interruption.
2. What types of sedation dentistry exist?
There are many different kinds of sedation. The most simple is taking a prescribed oral sedative before the appointment, which will keep you awake but ensure you feel calm and relaxed.
For patients with severe phobia or anxiety, sedatives can also be applied through an intravenous tube. This will induce you to sleep during the treatment so you can wake up after it’s all over.
3. What’s the benefit?
Sedation dentistry can be the perfect solution if you need to get some form of dental treatment, but you’re too anxious to go through with the appointment.
It will keep you calm or even put you to sleep entirely so the dentist can complete the procedure.
4. Who can get it?
Not everyone can receive sedation or sleep dentistry treatment, but your dentist will be able to discuss your options and advise you on what would be the best solution for your needs.
