Many people experience dental anxiety, which can significantly hinder proper oral care. According to the American Dental Association, about 22 percent of people avoid dental appointments due to fear of the dentist.
Fortunately, modern dentistry provides solutions for providing peace of mind in the dentist’s office. One of the most effective solutions for easing dental anxiety is IV sedation.
IV sedation relaxes patients during treatments. It does not put them completely to sleep. Instead, it makes them less aware of their surroundings. Patients are unaware of what the dentist is doing but are still responsive to gentle nudging or verbal requests.
Unlike sedation taken in pill form or inhaled, dentists administer IV sedation through the patient’s vein. The benefits of this form of sedation include the following:
It works quickly, and patients feel little or no pain during the procedure.
It improves patient cooperation for extended periods, allowing dentists to perform multiple procedures in a single appointment.
It allows dentists to monitor patients' vitals and easily adjust the dosage.
Twilight dentistry and sleep dentistry are other terms used to describe IV sedation dentistry. Once your dentist administers the sedation, you will experience a state of deep relaxation. You will not feel anxious about what the dentist is doing or not doing. However, you will remain conscious and able to understand requests from your dentist.
Sometimes, the sedation drugs can provide full or partial memory loss once they kick in until they wear off. So, you may not remember the procedure, and time will appear to move quickly. You will be conscious and awake, but the treatment will seem like a dream.
That said, it would help to understand that IV sedation is not a painkiller. Instead, it is an anti-anxiety medication. Your dentist may give you a local anesthetic, depending on your procedure. Otherwise, the dentist will wait until the sedation fully hits to begin the treatment. At this point, the treatment area will be completely numb.
The level of sedation you experience will depend on several factors. These include the procedure you are undergoing, age, body response to anesthesia, medical condition, and health habits.
Regardless of the sedation level, an anesthesiologist will participate in your anesthesia care. Anesthesiologists are medical professionals who specialize in pain management, anesthesia, and critical care medicine. The primary sedation levels are:
Minimal: It will help you relax, but you will still be awake.
Moderate: You will likely feel drowsy or fall asleep during the procedure.
Deep: You will sleep through the process but not be unconscious.
If dental work and dental instruments scare you, you may be an excellent candidate for IV sedation. Discuss your options with your dentist before your procedure to determine whether it is the best option for you. After all, all dentists love helping their patients feel relaxed and calm when receiving the treatment needed.
For more on IV sedation, visit Implant Dentistry Periodontics & Facial Rejuvenation in Wesley Chapel, Florida, for a one-on-one consultation. You can also call us at 813-973-7770 to schedule an appointment today.
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