406-652-1600Sedation Dentistry is quickly becoming one of the most effective ways to provide patients with a calm experience during procedures. Patients with anxieties and fears truly appreciate the comforting effects of dental sedation.
Who can benefit from sedation dentistry? At Bridge Creek Dental, we provide dental sedation services for the following patients:
- People whose mouths don’t become numb easily
- Those with serious fears of shots and needles
- Patients with history of bad dental experiences
- People who haven’t visited a dentist in quite a while
- Those who tend to gag whenever they have dental work performed
- Patients who believe the condition of their teeth is too bad for traditional dental treatment
Types and Levels of Dental Sedation
Sedation dentistry is designed primarily for reducing anxiety while dental work is being performed. It ranges in dosages, levels and types, depending on the following:
- Reason for needing it
- Medical background
- Current health status
Below is a general overview of the different types and levels used in sedation dentistry:
Minimal Sedation
Minimal sedation, also known as light dental sedation, helps patients relax while remaining awake and alert. They’re able to understand and give responses to verbal commands. Light dental sedation can be administered in the form of an oral pill, or nitrous oxide, more commonly referred to as “laughing gas.”
Moderate Sedation: Oral Conscious Sedation
With oral conscious sedation, a pill-form medication is prescribed. It must be taken just before your dental treatment appointment, so you’re relaxed when the procedure begins. You should feel calm and a bit groggy, but remain conscious throughout the entire procedure. Oral conscious sedation is considered very safe because patients continue responding to oral commands, exhibiting protective reflexes and breathing independently. Most patients have little to no memory of their procedures after this sedation wears off.
Moderate Sedation – IV Sedation
Intravenous sedation, or IV for short, is similar to oral conscious sedation. However, with IV sedation, the patient receives the medication by way of a needle in the hand or arm, as opposed to an oral pill. IV sedation is administered in the dental office during shorter procedures.
Deep Sedation
Although this is not general a sedation dentistry method, it can be used as such. With this sedation method, patients are totally of semi-unconscious, and may actually need assistance with breathing while under.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
These are just three of the great benefits of sedation dentistry:
- Temporary Amnesia – Many sedation dentistry methods cause you to remember little to none of your dental procedure
- Reduction in Post-Op Soreness – Anxiety and fear lead to muscle tension, which increases soreness, post-operative. Sedation dentistry helps eliminate this process.
- Reduces Flow of Saliva – Dental sedations can help to reduce salivary flow. This creates a dryer mouth environment, allowing dental work to be performed more effectively.
