Do you struggle to stay calm and composed during your dental procedures? Or perhaps you dread the sight of any dental equipment and are about ready to bolt off the dentist’s chair at the sight of a dental drill? If so, then you probably do suffer from dental anxiety.

In this case, sedation dentistry could transform your dental health and dental experiences. Sedation dentistry is mostly handy in two cases: when our dentist has to treat patients with dental anxiety and when patients undergo extensive dental procedures.

In a nutshell, sedation dentistry in Fort Saskatchewan is utilized during dental procedures to deal with dental anxiety or phobia and ensure patients are calm and comfortable.

Different Types of Sedation Dentistry

Always remember that there are different forms and levels of dental sedation, and one of the key things that must be deciphered is which form or type of sedation will suit you.

Several factors are considered when our dentist decides what form of sedation to use on a patient. Some of these factors may include:

• The level of anxiety a particular patient has. For instance, children or individuals with special needs may have a higher level of anxiety.
• The duration of the dental procedure a patient has to undergo
• The type of dental procedure a patient is undergoing is it minimally invasive or extensive
• The health history of a patient
• Pain tolerance a patient has
• What a patient prefers

Understanding the Different Types of Sedation Dentistry: Inhalation, Oral, IV, and General Anesthesia

Let’s delve into the different types of sedation dentistry our sedation dentist in Fort Saskatchewan can use during dental procedures:

Inhalation Sedation

This form of dental sedation is administered via a gas mask and involves using nitrous oxide or laughing gas to induce sedation. It is light sedation and delivers a mild to moderate level of sedation. This means a patient will be calm but fully awake and cognitive during a procedure.

Once it is complete, the effects of the laughing gas wear off quite rapidly once pure oxygen is introduced, and you can drive home without any difficulties.

• Oral Sedation

This type of dental sedation involves using sedative pills administered orally before the beginning of the dental procedure. However, a liquid sedative may be administered orally in other cases, such as during pediatric dental procedures.

Oral dental sedation may induce a moderate level of sedation. This means you will be drowsy and conscious or may fall into a light sleep, but it is easy to wake you up to communicate with the dentist when necessary. You may need help getting home after the procedure because oral sedation may temporarily affect your judgment, coordination, and recollection.

• IV Sedation

This is a type of deep conscious sedation. In this case, the sedative is administered via an IV line directly into your bloodstream. In this form of sedation, your heart rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure are keenly monitored, and at any point, the dentist may adjust your dosage.

Moreover, you may fall asleep and have no recollection of the dental procedure. That’s why we recommend it for patients who need to undergo an extensive dental procedure or those who suffer from serious dental anxiety.

• General Anesthesia

This is a form of unconscious sedation, meaning you will be fully unconscious and unaware of your surroundings during the procedure. This type of dental sedation can only be provided by certified and trained dentists, and in most cases, an anesthesiologist will be present to administer this sedation during the procedure.

The Risks and Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Some of the benefits and risks of sedation dentistry in Fort Saskatchewan:

Benefits

• It helps ensure that patients suffering from dental anxiety and phobia or who have special needs can receive the dental care they need
• Dental sedation guarantees patients will be comfortable and pain-free during invasive dental procedures.
• Sedation dentistry enables dentists to carry out dental procedures faster.

Risks

• The effects of a type of sedation can vary from one patient to the next
• Dry mouth
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Developing an allergic reaction to the sedative

What to Do Before Your Appointment

Before undergoing dental sedation, you must give our sedation dentist in Fort Saskatchewan your full health history. More so, ensure that the dentist performing the procedure is certified and trained, like our dentist, to administer sedation.

Contact us today at Town Crest Dental Clinic for sedation dentistry near you.