Methods of Sedation Dentistry - Types and Levels

It is hard to believe, but it is true that the dental operations are one of the most feared operations in the world. People are known to avoid dental appointments as much as they can.  By the time they finally reach the dentist, they are already late, and the problem has become acute. Moreover, in many cases, the patients are so scared that they cannot control their movements, which makes it increasingly difficult for the dentist to operate.

Here comes the role of sedation dentistry. In this system of operation, trained dentists put their patients into a relaxed state. They feel as if they are almost sleeping, and for this reason they remember very little of the operation that they undergo. This renders the patient in minimal or probably no pain at all, while he or she is operated on. Therefore, when there is no pain, there is virtually no question of fear and involuntary body movements.

There are many methods of sedation dentistry. They are oral sedatives, intravenous (IV) sedation, nitrous oxide sedation, and general anesthesia. The patients, who are generally capable of enduring pain, are subjected to mild sedatives like oral sedatives and nitrous oxide or laughing gas. These sedatives generally put the patient into a semiconscious state.

For more serious cases, intravenous (IV) injections are administered into the patient for achieving higher degrees of sedation. In some cases, the patients are also subjected to general anesthesia where the patient is put into a state of complete unconsciousness.