Understanding Sedation Dentistry in Paramus NJ: A Comprehensive Solution for Dental Anxiety
Quick Summary
Do you want to know whether sedation dentistry is worth it or not? Or who needs it? Or are looking for quality sedation dentistry near you? No need to worry. We have prepared a detailed blog on sedation dentistry that will answer all of your questions. Let’s explore.
Sedation dentistry’s demand is rising as dental anxiety is on the verge of becoming a public health issue. It can play a crucial role in keeping the patients relaxed throughout the treatment. It offers a lot of benefits and is suitable for differently abled people too. Let’s start with understanding what sedation dentistry is.
What is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is a part of dentistry where sedatives are used to relax the patient. The medication used in it can either be mild or strong. Mild ones relax the patients whereas the strong ones make them fall asleep, that’s why some people also call it sleep dentistry. It is very beneficial for people who are undergoing a long dental surgery or have dental anxiety.
If you or your loved ones are missing important dental appointments that can potentially lead to bigger issues because of dental anxiety then sedation dentistry can help you and your loved ones. It will make the whole treatment pain-free and stress-free. Sedation dentistry can be used in dental procedures like:
Dental Fillings
Simple and Complex Tooth Extractions
Root Canals
Sedation dentistry has different levels of sedatives which are used based on their requirements. In some procedures, minimal sedation will be used whereas in serious and long procedures deep sedation or general anesthesia will be used. Let’s take a look at what different levels of sedation can do.
Minimal Sedation: This one does not make you fall asleep but keeps you relaxed throughout the treatment.
Moderate Sedation: It keeps you awake but you don’t remember much about the treatment.
Deep Sedation: Deep sedation keeps your consciousness minimum, you only respond to light or verbal commands.
General Anesthesia: You are entirely unconscious.
What is Dental Anxiety?
Dental anxiety is the fear of dental treatment that often leads to avoidance of dental appointments, poor oral health, and negative psychosocial effects. According to NIH, dental anxiety is still a major issue with adults and should be considered a dental public health issue. Drill sound, needles, dental chairs, a traumatic dental experience, etc. mainly triggers dental anxiety. It affects oral health which affects the day-to-day life of individuals. Common symptoms of dental anxiety are:
Racing heartbeat
Low blood pressure
Sweating
Withdrawal
Crying
Signs of panic
Types of Sedation Used in Dentistry
4 types of sedatives are mostly used in sedation dentistry. As we already know there are 4 levels of sedation - minimal sedation, moderate sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia. The 4 types of sedatives fit into the four levels. Which type of sedation will be given depends on the patient’s condition and treatment length.
1. Nitrous Oxide
You must have seen movies where characters inhale laughing gas and start laughing for hours. That laughing gas is nothing but nitrous oxide. It is also used in sedation dentistry to provide mild sedation. However, in sedation dentistry, we don’t use it that much so that patients start laughing. Only a small amount is used to keep patients relaxed. Its effects wear quickly after the treatment allowing patients to get back to their regular activities.
2. Oral Sedation
Oral sedation is quite stronger than nitrous oxide. In some cases, it can give patients amnesia which makes them forget what happened in the procedure after treatment. As the name suggests, here the sedative is not injected into your body or you don’t have to inhale gas but you are given a sedative liquid or pill before the treatment. Usually, you will feel a little drowsy but will remain conscious.
3. IV Sedation
A stronger form of sedation, IV sedation will lower your consciousness to a minimum and you’ll only be able to respond to light or voice commands, nothing more than that. It is injected directly into your bloodstream to quickly relax the patients. Dentists can also control the amount of sedation in this way. In some cases, patients fall asleep but can be awakened if needed.
4. General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is the strongest form of sedation. It is usually used before big surgeries to make the patients unconscious so that the treatment goes without any disturbances. In some cases it is also given to patients with severe dental anxiety or other serious medical conditions, it puts them into deep sleep making sure they don't know what happened in the procedure.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry offers a lot of benefits that make dental treatment easier than ever. With its help dental procedures became more manageable and comfortable not only for patients but also for dentists. Sedation dentistry helps people overcome their fear of dental procedures and also improves the outcome of procedures.
1. Gag Reflex Control
The gag reflex is a common issue in dentistry. It is an autonomous contraction of muscles on the back of your throat designed to keep any objects out of the airway and prevent choking. It usually happens when something touches the soft palate, tonsils, or throat. Most people can’t control their gag reflex which makes it difficult for dentists to give treatment. Sedation dentistry can help control the gag reflex making sure the procedure is comfortable, uninterrupted, and effective.
2. Anxiety Relief
Dental anxiety is one of the main reasons why sedation dentistry exists. It helps patients relax and get dental procedures done without any complications. The sedatives help in reducing the phobia of needles, and dental chairs and also manage the traumas from the past. All levels of sedatives are equally beneficial in anxiety relief.
3. Dentists Work Faster
When you are tense, you will make unnecessary movements or keep talking to the dentists which will disturb them and slow down or might stop the treatment for some time. However, when you're sedated you hardly make any movements or talk. And if you are given a strong sedative like IV sedation or general anesthesia you won’t be conscious that will make the dentists do their work without any disturbance and faster.
4. Pain Management
Another reason that makes people avoid dental check-ups or treatment is fear of pain. They think drilling holes into the mouth, extracting teeth, dental implants, or other dental treatments are very painful. However, it's not like sedation dentistry makes sure you don’t feel any pain. The sedatives given not only make you relax but also numb the area of treatment so that you don’t feel any pain. Even after you are conscious the numbness is there for a longer period helping you in pain management.
5. Increases Comfort for Lengthy Procedures
In the lengthy procedures even if the patient is calm and comfortable he/she will become restless and uncomfortable after some time into the treatment. Restlessness and anxiety can disrupt the procedure. Sedation dentistry can increase comfort not only for the patients but also for the dentist.
6. Improved Patient Cooperation
Many patients can’t remain still throughout the procedure which increases the chances of the treatment turning out to be a failure. Sedation dentistry comes in a clutch to tackle this problem. It is very useful in the case of children, differently abled individuals, and people with severe anxiety. Sedatives will relax the person and improve the patient's cooperation.
7. Better Outcomes
Dental anxiety, phobia, restlessness, etc can significantly reduce the quality of the outcome of the dental treatment. However, with the help of sedation dentistry, lengthy procedures become more comfortable, patients cooperate, dentists can work faster, the gag reflex is controlled, and patients' anxiety is reduced. All of these lead to better outcomes.
Who Needs Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is beneficial for all who want dental procedures. However, not everyone needs it. In many cases, normal anesthetics that numb the mouth are enough, but the case of people with a phobia of dental treatments, dental anxiety, physical limitation, extensive treatment, strong gag reflex, etc. will need sedation dentistry. Let’s understand in detail who needs it.
Patients with Dental Anxiety
If you are one of those individuals who has severe anxiety before any type of dental procedure or check-up that makes you avoid it then you need sedation dentistry. It can reduce anxiety and help you relax before and during the treatment.
Patients with a Strong Gag Reflex
Some patients have stronger gag reflexes compared to others which makes it difficult for the dentists to operate on them. Such patients need sedation dentistry as it can control the gag reflex and make the procedure much smoother.
Decreased Sensitivity to Local Anesthesia
Patients who have decreased sensitivity to local anesthesia need sedation dentistry. As of now, local anesthesia is not helpful for them anymore. It can’t help them manage pain or reduce anxiety. Here sedation dentistry can do both.
Differently Abled Patients
Differently, abled patients are comparatively more anxious and uncomfortable when it comes to dental treatment and they need special care. Sedation dentistry can help them reduce their anxiety and make them comfortable throughout the treatment.
Patients with Extensive Dental Work
In some cases where patients need simple dental procedures, sedation dentistry can be avoided. However, patients who have lengthy dental procedures or complex dental treatment plans will need sedation dentistry.
Conclusion
In the end, we can say that sedation dentistry is the revolution in the dental field. It has a lot of benefits for people suffering from dental anxiety, who have complex and lengthy treatment plans. It helps them relax and makes sure the whole treatment goes smoothly. For the best results of sedation dental work, you will need experienced dentists. You can find them at Paramus Dental Specialists. We are recognized for our high-quality sedation dentistry in Paramus, NJ. Along with sedation dentistry, we also offer Bone Grafting, Dental Bonding, all-on-X dental implants, and more. Visit us for all your dental work needs.
