Sleep dentistry means the use of sedatives to make the patient feel relaxed on his dental care visit. Sedatives are used in more or less dental treatments such as tooth extractions, dental cleaning, etc. The sedatives may be minimal, moderate, and deep, using various methods like oral sedation, intravenous (IV), and deep sedation, also known as general anesthesia. There are several benefits of sedation and sleep dentistry; we will discuss them in detail in the following paragraphs.
Anxiety control
People generally avoid their dental visits because they experience anxiety which makes it difficult to run the treatment and increases the risk of complications that come with it. Anxiety levels differ in patients; for some, it is controllable with a little talk with the doctor.
However, others have an overwhelming fear of needles or getting treatments in general. Deep sedation or sleep dentistry makes it easier for the doctors and the patients to get through the treatment hassle-free. The treatment quality remains unhampered and reduces the risk of dental trauma for the patient.
Pain suppression
Pain is inevitable during dental treatments such as root canals, tooth extractions, or dental implants. To save yourself from the pain, it is suggested to consider getting yourself sedated. The sedation will help in minimizing the pain and getting through the treatment easily.
Minor treatments can be done using local anesthesia; however, they are not recommended for dental surgeries. The pain will not completely fade but will be minimized to an extent where it is tolerable for the patient resulting in a better quality of treatment without any obstacles.
The gag reflex is reduced.
The gag reflex is the throat’s way of expelling any foreign or intrusive object for safety purposes. When the patient is awake and in his consciousness, the throat will behave in his natural ways of protecting the body, which might hinder the treatments.
Therefore, it is a good idea to get yourself sedated so that the doctor can perform the treatment without any obstacles. During the treatment, the doctor needs to get deep into the oral cavity to get a clear vision of the problem and treat some wounds; therefore, a sedated throat will not cause a gag reflex. It will help the doctor and the patient to have the treatment done without any delay or injuries.
Multiple procedures
There are many patients with extensive dental damage and may need several sittings for different procedures. It is painful to bear the needle again and again and might even cause anxiety. The use of sedatives or sleep dentistry is recommended in such cases for the patients. It gets easier for the patient to have dental work done whilst in a little sleep and costs them lesser money.
The doctors reduce the number of sittings and combine the treatment plans to help the patients reduce their visits as well as the pain. The combined treatment plans have proved to be helpful for patients as it shortens the cumulative recovery period. The patient keeps calm and has the mental stability to sit through the long procedures. All this is possible with sleep dentistry.
Different methods of sedation
Oral Sedation
It is the most common way used by dentists in today’s times. The patient is given a pill to take an hour before the treatment starts; the pills make the patient feel drowsy while still awake. The sedation dose depends on the level of sedation required; for example, you will receive a small dose for light sedation and so on.
Intravenous
Intravenous is also known as IV in layman language. In this procedure, the sedative is induced in your veins directly. This sedation puts the patients into sleep and requires time to heal. In some cases, the patient may experience twilight sleep wherein he might feel drowsy but is not aware of the surroundings.
Deep Sedation or General Anesthesia
The medication is strong and puts the patient into a deep sleep, wherein the patient has no clue of the surroundings and will not feel any pain. However, the general anesthesia may take time to wear off and bring the patient back to his senses. General anesthesia is locally available; however, the dose has to be monitored and given under the supervision of an expert only.
Final words
Sleep dentistry is an amazing concept to help the patients get done with their treatments without any pains or sufferings. It is a great help to the doctors as they face hindrance while treatment if the patient is awake; this reduces the quality of treatment and poses a risk of injury. The people who fear or avoid visiting their dentist because they are afraid of the pain or have anxiety issues can now easily get their dental treatments with the help of sedation or sleep dentistry.
