The sharp medical equipment and whirring drill in a dentist’s office can be scary for some people. This fear is further proved by a statistic that concluded that 36% of the population suffers from dental fear, further leading to 12% extreme cases of dental phobia.
Dental phobia becomes a major hindrance during dental procedures such as root canals or routine cleaning. However, the medical use of anaesthetics, more commonly known as sedation dentistry, has emerged as a viable option for people suffering from dental phobia.
Though this practice is known to help many people combat their dental phobia, the general census is mostly unaware of this medical advancement. Therefore, this comprehensive guide is going to provide you with the top five benefits of sedation dentistry.
WHAT IS SEDATION DENTISTRY?
Sedation dentistry uses medication to relieve any anxiety and puts the patient at ease and into a state of relaxation for their procedure. This practice is especially beneficial for people possessing a dental phobia.
This medical practice is also of vital use during any emergency, as it allows the dentist to perform any required surgery without causing extreme pain to the patient. However, it is important to choose a trusted establishment when considering sedation dentistry.
Always thoroughly research the establishment before proceeding with any medical procedure. For instance, if you are residing in Exeter, UK, browse for emergency dentist Exeter that adheres to safe guidelines concerning sedation dentistry established by the government.
There are three types of sedation offered to patients.
1. Oral Sedation
Oral Sedation is consumed in pill form and can enable the patient to stay alert and responsive without feeling any pain or discomfort. It may take time to become effective and several hours to wear off completely. Therefore, it is recommended that patients are assisted in getting home.
2. Laughing Gas
Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, is inhaled through a tiny cannula placed under the nose. It provides sedation similar to the oral option; however, nitrous has the added benefit of rapid effect upon usage and wearing off almost immediately.
3. IV Sedation
IV sedative is the most powerful kind of sedative used for operations. The IV offers more control over the patient’s degree of comfort as well as meticulous monitoring of vital signs.
Additionally, the IV permits medicine to be injected straight into the bloodstream, allowing the sedative to take actiongradually. It can take several hours to wear off completely. IV sedation induces the deepest degree of relaxation, and patients typically have no recollection of the treatment.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry provides many benefits to patients of all types. Some of the benefits of sedation dentistry are:
1. Reduces Fear and Anxiety
People with a prior bad experience with various dental treatments have a lot of dental stress and anxiety. Sedation dentistry is excellent for such patients.
During the procedure, the patient is sedated just enough to relax and allow him to go through the operation without anxiety. Once the procedure is complete, the patient wakes up feeling fresh and retains no recollection of the procedure.
2. Simplifies Dental Procedures
Some people suffer from gag reflexes. Even the basic dental equipment, like forceps and tongs, when inserted inside the mouth, can sometimes trigger a gag reflex, which can cause the person to close his mouth.
Conditions like gag reflexes and sensitive teeth or gum make dental procedures quite difficult to perform. These situations can be stressful for both dentists and patients.
Certain dental operations become faster and simpler when the patient is sedated and calm. The dentist concentrates completely on the process without being distracted by the patient’s discomfort or unfavourable responses.
3. Prolonged Rest
Undergoing a dental procedure while sedating allows individuals to relax and rest. After sedation dentistry, several patients reported waking up feeling refreshed and relaxed.
4. Painless Procedure
One of the major benefits of sedation dentistry is that it offers a painless dental procedure. Anterograde amnesia is a medical condition in which the capacity to recall and retain new knowledge is impaired. This type of amnesia is caused by sedation dentistry, which inhibits the brain from creating memories of the dental operation.
This induced condition further aids in the treatment of dental anxiety. For a lot of people, dental anxiety stems from unpleasant encounters experienced in childhood. However, with sedation dentistry, fear is suppressed since the brain loses its ability to register feelings of fear and anxiety.
5. Less Dental Appointments
Most dental treatments need many appointments; however, sedation dentistry significantly reduces the frequency of appointments. Since the patient is relaxed and does not interfere with the operation, the dentist can do much more work in a single session.
When an individual is sedated, the dentist can operate more quickly, whether it be therapy for sore gums, cavity filling, or a simple tooth whitening operation.
This method allows you to save time and money with fewer dental appointments. Even in the cases of complicated procedures, such as root canals, the procedure can be finished in a single or double sitting as the dentist can get more work done in one sitting.
Conclusion
Dental anxiety is a widespread phenomenon that many people have experienced at some point during their lives. Sedation dentistry has proved to be a great addition to the dentistry world, allowing patients to feel comfortable during long dental treatments.
This medical advancement can greatly reduce your dental expenditure and other resources while ensuring a pain-free dental experience.