What is sedation dentistry

Sedation dentistry sounds like a simple-enough idea — sedating a patient to help relieve him or her of any anxiety caused by the visit. But the field can actually be very complex. There are many levels of sedation and types of anesthesia, and picking the best option, as well as figuring out a safe dosage, is a job that requires the skills of a certified professional.

In general, there are three levels of sedation that a dentist could bring you to during a visit:

• • Oral sedation which usually involves taking a pill that relaxes your body and mind;
  • Nitrous Oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas”. Some people actually fall asleep with it;
  • Conscious sedation, during which you drift on the edge of consciousness but can be woken up if needed.

Note that sedation dentistry isn’t the same as your dentist applying a local anesthesia during a procedure; the former refers to medication that is designed to help patients susceptible to dental anxiety and the latter is a way to prevent patients from feeling pain during dental procedures. Any dentist is qualified to apply local anesthesia during a procedure, but only specially certified professionals can administer sedation dentistry to a patient.

Why might I want or need sedation dentistry?

Typically, sedation dentistry isn’t a crucial part of any dental procedure. While most sophisticated procedures will definitely require local anesthesia, dentists typically only recommend sedation for the most complex and time-consuming treatments. However, that doesn’t mean that those treatments are the only time you could get sedation dentistry. If you have experienced anxiety during dental procedures in the past, next time, request sedation to make the process easier.