Sedation Dentistry - The Key To Anxiety and Pain Free Dental Procedures

There are people who are anxious about dental visits. They know they should go but find difficulty doing it. For the many who are unaffected by such behavior, they find dental anxious-ridden people a bit silly. But the truth is, the fear and anxiety felt by certain patients are real. They postpone treatments, skip routine dental check-ups and wait until they have a dental emergency before they bring themselves in to the dentist’s office for treatment.

Anxiety over dental procedures is not unusual. People experience dental anxiety regardless of age. When you feel uncomfortable with dental procedures or dental visits in general, you should share your feelings with your dentist. Communication is important to have a comfortable dental visit. Let them know that you are anxious so that they can customize their treatment plan to meet your specific needs. There are specialized dental treatments available such as sedation and sleep dentistry that will make dental visits relatively anxiety and pain-free. In addition, some dentists employ behavioral modification psychology to help patients ease their tension every time they have a dental appointment.

Here are some of the dental modalities administered by dentists to help relieve anxiety during dental treatments:

1.Oral Sedation
Oral sedation utilizes oral medications and sometimes nitrous oxide also known as laughing gas, to create a state of conscious sedation. This puts the patient in a relaxed state, thus eliminating tension and anxiety during the course of the treatment. Note that this type of sedation technique is advantageous for patients who have mild levels of anxiety. Oral sedation is not recommended for very young children and patients with special needs.

2.Intravenous Conscious Sedation
Intravenous conscious sedation employs intravenous agents to produce a relaxed and anxiety-free dental experience. During intravenous sedation, the patient is hooked up to a blood pressure monitor, heart rate monitor and pulse oximeter to comply with standard safety procedures. This procedure does not put the patient in complete sleep although partial or complete amnesia of the dental procedure is often experienced.

Only dentists who are licensed to practice sedation dentistry can perform these procedures. Make sure that your dentist is in compliance with the state dental board requirements and have completed the advanced education and training required by the state and the dental association.

To learn more about how sedation dentistry can help ease anxiety during dental procedures, consult our Fort Lauderdale dentist for more information.