A Leading Ft Worth Dentist Shares Some Facts You Should Know About Sedation Dentistry

Odontophobia, also known as dental phobia, is a common and prevalent condition that afflicts a lot of people around the world. This particular type of phobia pertains to an irrational fear of dentists and of receiving any dental care.

Most dental experts today have a collection of ingenious strategies to address odontophobia effectively. One of these is sleep or sedation dentistry.

Sedation Dentistry

A sedation dentist Ft Worth residents trust explains that sedation dentistry is used to provide a relaxing and anxiety-free experience for certain people receiving dental treatment. This procedure enables individuals too afraid to go to the dentist to receive the dental care they need while avoiding the common trepidation known as dental phobia.

Types Of Dental Sedation

There are three types of sedation dentistry used to treat different levels of dental anxiety. Each type puts the patient in different states of relaxation and calmness.

Light sedation refers to sedation which is only minimal. Even though you are already sedated, you remain awake and alert but still relaxed.

Under moderate sedation, you will remain conscious during a procedure. However, after it, you probably won't remember much about it. You will still be able to communicate but you may feel groggy and slur your words. Some patients can fall asleep with moderate sedation but they can be easily woken back up.

With deep sedation, the patient is rendered either semi- or totally unconscious during the dental procedure. This type does not usually fall under the category of conscious sedation. The patient will not regain consciousness until the drug wears off or is reversed, and recovery time usually takes longer.

Forms Of Administration

There are three main ways sedation is administered. These are through:

Inhalation sedation. The sedation dentist will administer the nitrous oxide (a light form of dental sedation) though a mask which is placed over your nose. This gas is then inhaled through the nose and expelled through the mouth. Once the procedure is over, the nitrous oxide wears off almost immediately with minimal to no side effects or recovery time.

Oral sedation.  Oral sedation normally comes in the form of a pill taken an hour before you undergo a dental procedure. Oral medication is used for sedation purposes to produce a light to moderate effect depending on the strength of the prescription. Once you feel the effects of the pill, you will fell sleepy but you will be able to respond to your dentist's commands. Recovery time will take longer, and you will not be allowed to drive or handle any machinery after the procedure.

IV sedation. Lastly, IV sedation is also considered moderate sedation. However, compared to oral sedation, the drugs are delivered intravenously; as such, you will feel the effects much sooner. IV sedation also permits your dentist to adjust the level of sedation needed during the whole procedure.

Source:

http://www.ftworthdentalimplants.com/iv-sedation/ offers more useful information about IV sedation and other types of dentistry sedation.