It is a daunting challenge to deal with angst and distress among dental patients and it can be tough for everyone involved. It can lead to unnecessary stress or no show at the dental appointment at all. People bear the endless pain rather than paying a visit to the dentist due to this fear.
It is natural to feel nervous while you visit the dentist and there is nothing wrong with it. Instead, suffering the pain and not opting to go to the dental clinic is a wrong decision.
Anxiety is becoming a real issue, but you can mitigate this problem with sleep dentistry. You will wonder, what is sleep dentistry? How does it work and who should opt for this service?
What is Sleep Dentistry?
It is a process of performing dental procedures while the patient is put to sleep with the help of general anesthesia. It will give peace of mind to the patient that can get them through the whole dental process without any fear or anxiety.
The general anesthesia will bring the body to calm making oblivious pain receptors for a period of time and with this method, you can stop avoiding the dentist and take your oral health on track once again.
Who needs a sleep dentistry process?
The main purpose of this procedure is to eliminate any type of anxiety in the patients and have top-notch oral health. The following people can benefit from the procedure:
For patients with anxiety and fear towards dental processes
If you have a fear of a dentist, then the best way to get through the process is to opt for sleep dentistry. Your fear will not work as your mind will be in a relaxed and calm state for the dental procedure.
For patients with harrowing past experience
It is possible that you may have gone through a bad experience during your previous meeting with the dentist. Some traumas can’t go overnight and that may be the reason for your anxiety. With the help of this procedure, you can be assured that you won’t feel or think about that experience during the procedure.
For patients with anxiety disorder
Anxiety disorder is a real thing and maybe you don’t fear the dentists. It may be the fear of the needle, fear of drill, and the sound, or maybe you are going through a general anxiety disorder. Sleep dentistry will remove this anxiety factor for you and will help you get the best dental service without feeling the pain at all.
For patients with small mouths
Keeping the mouth open for a long time can let you feel tired and that happens a lot in people with small mouths. It won’t be a problem anymore as with sleep dentistry, the tiredness will be eliminated and you will feel no pain during the whole operation.
For patients with low pain tolerance capability
Some patients have very sensitive oral nerves and that may cause a problem during the dental meetings. Even a small amount of pain can cause a huge effect on you. If you want to eliminate this, then you just have to opt for the sleep dentistry process.
How many types of sedation dentistry are available?
There are four types of sedation used in dentistry. These are:
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
It is referred to as conscious inhalation as in this process, patients will inhale the gas (also known as the laughing gas) which will prompt a state of enraptured relaxation. A local anesthetic is usually mixed with the laughing gas as it will make sure that you don’t feel any pain. The best thing about nitrous oxide is that it will leave your system as soon as you stop the supply, so you can easily go home and even go to work after the procedure.
Oral Sedation
This is the most popular option among the patients and dentists because there is no needle used in oral sedative drugs. In this method, patients have to take the previously prescribed medicine for about a half-hour or an hour before your appointment. There is no specific pain relief in this method but the patient will remain calm and relaxed throughout the dental procedure. However, you will need a ride to and from the dental clinic when this sedative is used for the process.
Intravenous sedation
This method of sedation should be done and administered by the trained professional only, as it will deliver the sedative drug directly into the bloodstream. It does not provide pain relief, hence local anesthetic is also blended with it.
General Anesthesia
This is the method where the patient will be fully unconscious and unaware of the surroundings. Since the patient is unconscious; no local sedative is needed as they will not feel any pain during the procedure.
Why should you try Sedation Dentistry?
Choosing sedation dentistry can eliminate any fear of the dentist and that will help to improve your oral support. Consider sedation dentistry because:
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- If you choose to go with sedation, then your anxiety will be managed and that will ensure a comfortable and effortless visit to your dentist.
- Root canals, tooth removal, and permanent implantation can be a painful procedure, but with the help of sedation, the pain will not be the factor anymore.
- Triggering emotions can cause an unpleasant atmosphere during your visit and that is where sedation is crucial as it will minimize the impact of triggers in the clinic.
- The painful memories of dental operation are not a happy thing and sedation will help you prevent the trauma and help past mental scars of a dental visit.
- If you have a sensitive gag reflex, then it will make the visit unbearable and you will feel to choke and sputter when anything is placed in your mouth. Sedation will cut that risk.
Final words
Sedation has transformed the dentistry for people with these problems. Also, you are not the only person who has fear of dentistry. If you want top-notch dental care, then you should opt for sleep dentistry Melbourne as it will help to reduce your anxiousness and fear of dentist visits.
