Sedation Dentistry: Relieving Dental Anxiety Vicksburg, MS

Sedation Dentistry: Relieving Dental Anxiety

 

Why Do People Like Sedation Dentistry?
Having a fear of going to the dentist is not that uncommon but thanks to advancements in the field of sedation dentistry a patient who does have a fear of the dentist can be made to feel more comfortable. While the common belief about sedation dentistry is that it involves being put to sleep it’s much more than that. What sedation truly provides for a patient is a chance to relax while they receive dental care.

What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry as mentioned above is about being put to sleep in some cases, but there are actually quite a few different levels of sedation some of which don’t require you to be put to sleep. Please feel free to refer to the different types of sedation dentistry below to help you get a better understanding:

In general, there are four levels of sedation in this sector of dentistry:

  • Minimal sedation – This minute level of sedation helps to lower a patient’s anxiety
  • Moderate sedation – This sedative dose keeps the patient responsive but less alert.
  • Deep sedation – This induces sleep during surgery, but they can be strategically awoken
  • General anesthesia – This level also induces sleep, but a patient wakes up when it wears off


Am I a Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

While sedation dentistry is great to help calm a patient’s anxiety it’s also important to know if you are a candidate for sedation. Most people are but it depends on your medical history and your current health:

In addition, here are some things that could factor into whether or not you’re a candidate for sedation:

  • The amount of discomfort that is associated with the procedure you need to undergo
  • Your ability to not have food or drinks for before undergoing your dental procedure
  • It depends on the medications you are taking and if sedation counteracts with them

The Next Steps
If you are curious about sedation dentistry and it’s ability to calm or relax a patient by relieving them of their dental anxiety it would be best if you reached out to your local dentist to set up a consultation.