Whether you want an impacted tooth removed or undergoing a major restorative oral surgery, there is always the fear of unbearable pain and discomfort. Some people will only accept having the surgery if the doctor agrees to sedate them. But there is also a group of people who won’t go for the surgery because they are exceedingly worried about anesthesia.
If you belong to any of these categories, you don’t have to be scared anymore because modern sedation dentistry takes away all the fear and anxiety. This type of sedation is used for many oral procedures, including surgery, tooth removal, and tooth cleaning. This article helps you understand the different types of sedation used in dentistry and how each of them works.
What’s Sedation Dentistry?
Also referred to as sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry uses medication to help a patient relax during an oral procedure. There are four primary sedation levels in dentistry: minimal, moderate, deep, and general anesthesia. Except for general anesthesia, all other levels of sedation vary in the outcome of consciousness.
With minimal sedation, the patient is completely awake but fully relaxed. On the other hand, moderate sedation keeps you conscious, but your words may be slurred when you speak. You may also have a hard time remembering much about the procedure. Deep sedation keeps you half conscious and half unconscious, but you can easily be awakened.
Types of Sedation for Oral Surgery
Inhaled Sedation
This sedation type involves using a combination of nitrous oxide, commonly referred to as the “laughing gas,” and oxygen. You inhale the gas through a mask placed over your mouth and nose. Its effects tend to subside very fast. Your dentist is the one who determines how much laughing gas you receive.
Oral Sedation
This involves the use of oral medication to help you relax. Usually, you take the pills one hour before the surgery. The dose given depends on the level of sedation required. A single pill will make you tired but not profoundly asleep.
IV Sedation
This type of sedation involves the injection of sedatives through the veins. It works faster than other sedation types and allows your dentist to adjust the level of sedation as needed.
General Anesthesia
It is generally used in complex oral procedures that require you to be asleep throughout the process. You will not wake up until the sedatives wear off or are reversed with medication.
Sedation dentistry has made oral surgery easy and convenient for everybody, from toddlers to the elderly. It has also made complex oral procedures swift and straightforward.
