Having a little apprehension about visiting the dentist is more common than might be imagined. The good is that today’s modern dentistry offers the opportunity to experience the very best in care with a minimum of discomfort. One example of this is the advent of sedation dentistry. This type of sedation makes use of safe and effective medications as a way to help patients relax during a wide range of dental procedures. Sometimes known as sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry offers several levels of sleep. In most cases the patient will be partially awake and let relaxed.

With Moderate Sedation The Patient May Slur Words

In other instances as is the case with general anesthesia the patient will be completely asleep. Some examples of sedation dentistry include everything from minimum sedation where the patient is awake aware and relaxing to moderate sedation. With moderate sedation the patient may slur words and may have little to no recall of the dental procedure that was performed. During deep sedation the patient is said to be on the edge of consciousness, but still slightly awake. With general anesthesia the patient is completely unconscious. In addition, there are a variety of techniques used to administer sedation. This includes everything from oral sedation to IV sedation and inhaled sedation.

The Gas Wears Off Rather Fast

With inhaled sedation, nitrous oxide or laughing gas is the most common medication used. It is administered via an oxygen mask that is comfortably placed over the patient’s nose. The dental care provider can control the level of nitrous oxide received. The gas wears off rather fast and, best of all patients can easily drive home on their own following a treatment. Oral sedation varies substantially and is usually based on a joint agreement between the patient and dentist as to the type of medication used. Talk with your Elk Grove dentist, Dr. My Huynh at Laguna Park Dentistry today for more information of modern sedation dentistry.