Sedation Dentistry: The Key to Anxiety-Free Dental Visits
Friday, August 7th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Do you know that one out of seven people experience some sort of fear or anxiety whenever they visit the dentist? It may sound silly for the others who don’t feel an iota of apprehension during dental visits. But for those who do, anxiety is no laughing matter. If they can avoid the dentist, they will certainly come up with excuses to skip the dentist appointment, routine dental check-ups included.
Now, imagine skipping your dental appointments every year. Eventually, dental health will deteriorate as a result of poor hygiene. And before you know it, it’s too late. The condition of your teeth has already deteriorated and as a result, the affected teeth will require a more expensive treatment. So, now you worry about your teeth and the cost associated with the dental procedure. That’s one problem on top of the other, all because you fear the dentist.
Today, patients who have high levels of anxiety do not have to endure the discomfort of dental procedures. Sedation dentistry helps in alleviating the pain and the level of anxiety experienced by patients. Before the patient undergo sedation or sleep dentistry procedure, the treating dentist will have to conduct an evaluation of the needs of the patient and from there, formulate a treatment plan to suit the needs of the patient. Only then, the appropriate level of sedation will be determined.
What exactly is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry employs medications that allow the patient to experience a reduced level of anxiety during the dental procedure. It can be in the form of oral sedation wherein the patient is given a prescribed pill an hour before the treatment. Another alternative is using Nitrous Oxide or “laughing gas”. An inhaler is placed over the patient’s nose allowing the patient to breathe in the laughing gas. This will put the patient in a relaxed state in an instant. Intravenous (IV) sedation involves the use of medications administered intravenously. With this procedure, the patient is hooked up with a blood pressure monitor, heart rate monitor and pulse oximeter, per standard safety procedures. This pocedure is being practiced by specialists who are trained and state-certified to perform sedation dentistry. Intramuscular (IM) sedation employs administering sedative drugs and are injected into the muscle of the upper arm or thigh to produce a relaxed state.
With sedation dentistry, the patient is conscious and aware of his surroundings throughout the procedure. This procedure is recommended for people who experience light to moderate anxiety.
Only a team of highly specialized dentists, specialists and dental anesthesiologists are allowed to practice sedation and sleep dentistry in the state of Florida. At Plantation area, our team of Fort Lauderdale dentists are trained and certified to practice sedation and sleep dentistry. We utilize the latest technology and industry-standard safety procedure to care for our patients’ dental health.
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
Anxiety Relief With Sedation DentistryLearning How to Overcome Your Kids’ Dental AnxietyHow To Find Sedation Dentistry In Your Area
