What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry refers to the use of anesthesia during treatment
to put patients into a relaxed state, almost like sleep. Sedation dentistry is
often used during procedures that require an extensive amount of time in the
treatment chair, and sedation is ideal for patients who exhibit dental phobia
or have difficulty controlling their movements (this includes children).
While
sedation dentistry implies that patients are unconscious, this is not
the case. Most forms of sedation dentistry simply alleviate anxiety or put patients
in a sleep-like state, so that little is felt or remembered from the dentistry
procedure.
There are different types and degrees of dental sedation. Eastpoint
Dental Clinic will recommend a sedation dentistry technique depending upon
the treatment being performed and/or the degree of your dental anxiety. We will
be able to tell you if you are a candidate for moderate sedation with oral sedatives
or nitrous oxide, or deeper sedation with intravenous drugs.
Candidates for sedation dentistry include patients with a fear of needles
or other dental anxiety, as well as individuals who require complex treatment
and would like their treatment performed during a single, pain-free visit. Some
patients (including children) have a natural fear of the dentist, while others
have had a traumatic dental experience in their past that has made them reluctant
to seek treatment again. Many patients find their anxiety is eased when they
undergo procedures while in a sleep-like state.
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