Although most people know the importance of visiting the dentists regularly, they make all effort to avoid going to a dental clinic. This is because they are afraid of the dental clinic, procedures and the intimidating instruments that dentists use. These fears, commonly known as dental phobia makes people lose the opportunity to treat their teeth or receive advise on dental hygiene. Sedation dentistry is very important because it offers a solution to dental phobia by giving patients an opportunity to relax and receive their treatment. The sedation dentist uses anaesthesia to relax the patients who need dental procedures that will require time to complete.
In other times, this type of dentistry is important especially in procedures that are very painful. Other patients who require sedation dentistry treatments include those who cannot control their movements on the treatment chair. In this sleep like state, the patient is able to still their bodies because they cannot feel them. A sedation dentist will need to use drugs, commonly known as sedatives, so as to relax their patients. Some of these drugs include but are not limited to tranquilizers, anti anxiety drugs and drugs that contain nitrous oxide. The sedatives are administered into the patients’ bodies via an injection on the arm or mouth and inhalation.
Most patients choose inhalation because it does not involve the use of needles and soothe the patient to the point that they do not remember the painful dental procedure. Sedation dentistry in HI is very important because it protects the patient’s gums and teeth from suffering severe trauma. Procedures that involve rebuilding of teeth and inserting permanent dentures usually require multiple visits before they are complete. With sedation, the visits are usually cut short. Patients who were once afraid of seeking dental assistance especially for very sever tooth decay problems because of the pain can now visit the dentist without worrying about the pain and therefore smile again. There are several ways that sedation dentistry is administered to patients. This depends on the patient’s phobia and procedure performed by the dentist. These include:
1. Oral sedation: This involves giving medication to a patient. Some patients are usually given the medication at night while others are given an hour or so before the dental procedure is performed.
2. Intravenous sedation: This sedation dentistry technique involves injecting the patient with an anaesthetic to calm and relax them so as to receive treatment.
3. Inhalation sedation: This involves using nitrogen oxide, commonly known as the laughing gas, to relax the patient. In most cases, the gas does not eliminate the pain. As a result, patients who are receiving complex procedures will require an aesthetic in addition to inhaling the gas.
Dr. Yokoyama provides the latest in conscious sedation dentistry at his Carter Yokoyama, DDS. These dental sedation techniques will help keep patients at ease and allow them to receive dental treatment without stress or discomfort.
