Many people want to have a perfect set of teeth. However, not everyone is brave enough to sit in a dental chair and have their teeth fixed. Some people shake with fear at the mere thought of a dental check-up. On the other hand, some endure aching teeth just so they don’t get to face one thing they fear the most—a dental check up. 

Oral health is something that must not be set aside. Moreover, your fear must not stop you from having a healthy set of teeth. Good thing that there is now an answer to this dental phobia. Several clinics now offer sedation dentistry, and Centennial has one of those clinics.

In a friendly city like Centennial, it is essential to have a smile for everyone. The city lies in what people call “Colorful Colorado.” This is one of the factors why a lot of people want to visit this place. Centennial offers an active lifestyle. So, wherever you go, you will encounter people who will greet you with a smile.

However, it is a bit embarrassing to smile back when you have damaged teeth, right? Most people visit dental clinics to correct their dental imperfections. Dental procedures provide them the picture-perfect smile that almost everyone dreams of having. However, not everyone has the courage to face a dentist. For this reason, there is sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry involves using medication to help patients relax during dental procedures. The sedative drug is induced via an oral route to reduce the anxiety of the patient while the dentist works. This kind of dentistry is often used for people who have general anxiety; belonephobia, or the fear of needles and sharp instruments; and those who have had prior dental trauma. The sedative effects reduce the patient’s ability to remember, see or smell the dental clinic and avoid recall of any dental trauma. This type of dentistry allows dentists to perform more complex dental procedures in a short span of time.

Types of Sedation Dentistry

Dental sedation is not a part of dental pain management. However, if you are afraid of shots, dental sedation can calm you to the point where you can handle the shot. The characteristics of sedative medication must be carefully considered before having dental sedation. Contributing factors, such as where the sedative drug is metabolized, allergies, and medical history must be taken into consideration before the patient is induced with the drug. For this reason, dentists came up with different ways to administer sedatives to dental patients.

Laughing Gas

In this procedure, nitrous oxide, or what is more commonly known as laughing gas, is used to relax patients before any dental procedure. The patients will remain conscious while being sedated. However, because nitrous oxide is a gas, it wears off quickly once you stop breathing it in. When administered laughing gas, patients are given a nasal apparatus which the gas passes through. Its effects are mild, and the effect is felt as soon as it is inhaled. Some patients relax enough with nitrous oxide and do not require any other form of sedation. On the other hand, some patients need laughing gas on top of oral sedation.

IV Sedation

IV sedation has two variations: twilight and general anesthesia. With twilight IV sedation, patients are conscious but are not quite aware of their surroundings. Twilight IV sedation makes patients sleepy, and they may not remember the procedure once it’s over.

The second option is general anesthesia. Only patients who need oral surgery or those who are resistant to any other kind of sedation are given general anesthesia. With general anesthesia, patients are entirely unconscious. This kind of sedation must be done in a hospital or a specialized clinic with a nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist to administer the sedative and monitor the patient’s vital signs during the dental procedure.

Oral Sedation

Also called “conscious sedation,” this process involves taking a certain dose of sedative before undergoing a dental procedure. Patients may take one pill the night before and another pill an hour before the dental procedure or otherwise directed by the dentist.

Though patients are conscious during the whole procedure, they will remember very little or nothing at all about the entire appointment. During the appointment, they will be hooked up with equipment to monitor their heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.

Rippe Dental Associates offers professional sedation dentistry in Centennial. Your oral health matters and you should get it from the experts. Get in touch with us at https://www.drrippe.com/sedation-dentistry or call us at 303-779-9876 for more information.