5 Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

It’s not uncommon to dread a dental visit. It’s because many people think it’s going to be painful and uncomfortable. While this is a common phobia for many, you should let it hinder derail from getting your oral health condition checked. Fortunately, there’s sedation dentistry.

If you put off your regular visits to the dentist, minor oral problems that go undetected may lead to even more severe conditions. With sedation dentistry, patients can experience a fruitful yet painless dental visit by using sedation.

The benefits of this type of dental treatment option allow even the most anxious and uncomfortable dental patient to overcome their phobia.

Levels of Sedation Dentistry

Depending on the amount of sedation you need, dentists use a variety of options for putting patients under.

The most widely used sedation is oral sedation, which is the inhaled type like nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, general anesthesia, and IV sedation.

Each type of sedation level has its own benefits. And depending on what specific situations or conditions of the patient are, they deliver benefits that most patients don’t even think they could get.

Anxiety Relief

A significant benefit of sedation dentistry is anxiety relief. Dental phobia is real. However, we should try not to let it get our oral health in check. Sedation dentistry procedures allow patients to go through the dental treatments they need.

Anxiety shows itself on a spectrum. Many patients get entirely overwhelmed with fear, while others may only show minor pre-visit anxiety. Whatever the amount of dental anxiety a patient has, this prevents them from getting the oral care they need.

Anterograde Amnesia

Other medical situations may not always benefit from amnesia. However, when it comes to dentistry, amnesia yields often desirable outcomes. Dental phobia most likely originated from a previous unpleasant dental experience – and the phobia can grow with every dental visit.

This fact is especially true if patients feel any discomfort during the visit. Admittedly, dental visits often come with their own discomfort level – what with having to keep your mouth open for dentists and dental assistants to check. However, that’s not to say that those feelings of uneasiness should make you feel distressed.

When patients opt for sedation dentistry, there shouldn’t be any increase in the dental phobia – because the mind won’t build those new memories up. This even has the likelihood of reducing the fear following each dental visit.

Decrease in Gag Reflex

Having a gag reflex is ideal. It allows the throat to expel any intrusive, invasive, and foreign object. However, when it comes to a patient with dental phobia and gag reflex, that may pose some serious difficulties to a dentist.

Sometimes, dental professionals will need to check a patient’s oral cavity. When a patient has a gag reflex, that would most likely be an impossibility. The spasms brought by gag reflex can result in serious issues – depending on the type of dental treatment being done.

Sedation paralyzes the patient’s gag reflex, so this wouldn’t be an issue – allowing for a fast and efficient procedure.

Pain Relief

Understandably, everyone is uneasy when visiting the dentist’s office. However, toothache or gum pain is more disconcerting. With the aid of dental sedation techniques, the pain or discomfort that comes with dental procedures is wholly eliminated.

The brain is not available to register any pain or discomfort while a patient is under the influence of anesthetics and sedatives.

And since every patient yearns for a pain-free and comfortable dental visit – this type of dental treatment is sought after.

Faster Procedure

If a dental patient is under, he or she won’t feel uncomfortable or squeamish in the dental chair while receiving treatment. This allows dental professionals to do what’s needed to complete the procedure.

The dentist won’t have to worry about the patient’s fearful or anxious reactions to the procedure. This means that the patient can get out of the dental chair as soon as possible. Also, healing and recovery will be much quicker.

Don’t Put Off Your Dental Visits

If you’re anxious or nervous about visiting the dentist, then you may need to consider sedation dentistry.

This allows you to get the oral care you need – that you shouldn’t be put off in the first place.

Talk to your dentist if you’re a good candidate for it. An experienced dentist using sedation techniques can assess your situation.