One of the most common fears in the United States is the fear of the dentist. This can be particularly unfortunate for many people, as maintaining solid dental health is an important step in increasing your self confidence and willingness to engage in the world. Luckily, new techniques make the dentistry process a lot less challenging.
Sedation dentistry is becoming an increasingly popular technique for allowing patients to relax and dentists to complete their work unfettered. Below, you'll find a guide to some of the common techniques used in sedation dentistry, providing you with the information you need to seek out the treatment you deserve.
Inhaled Sedation
The image of inhaling nitrous oxide, sometimes called "laughing gas," at the dentist is an image that has a firm place in pop culture. In years past, gas inhalation was typically used for major procedures and full sedation, as there was a concern about patients not being able to describe their feelings during the procedure.
For individuals with severe dental anxiety, however, gas can be used during even the most simple cleaning appointments. This will allow you to relax and not feel as though the procedure is excessively invasive, and will also reduce the risk that your dentist will make a mistake in the process of dealing with a seizing or flinching patient.
Oral Sedation
If your anxiety is not severe enough that it prevents treatment but still strong enough that it causes problems, oral anxiety medication may be an excellent choice. Modern anxiety medicine can be taken on an as needed basis, and a dentist will be able to prescribe it to you when it's needed for your appointments.
The major benefit of oral sedation is that it allows you to remain completely aware and responsive. This means that you can assist your doctor in finding specific areas of discomfort, and it also allows you a quicker recovery following the procedure. In most cases, you'll even be able to drive yourself home.
General Anesthetic
For both the most extreme cases of anxiety and the most serious dental procedures, a general anesthetic may be necessary. Because there are wellness concerns any time you go under anesthesia, most dentists will avoid putting you under if at all possible. For major oral surgery, however, full anesthetic will allow you to avoid a great deal of unnecessary pain as well as create a totally docile patient that your dentist can work on without any interference.
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