23 Mar Sedation Dentistry: Will I remember anything?
Anxious patients who might otherwise avoid the dentist often benefit from sedation dentistry, which helps them get the dental treatments that they need.
Sedation dentistry helps patients to achieve a state of deep relaxation to help them undergo treatment. Sedation is also beneficial in cases where a complex, time-consuming intervention is indicated. Patients can endure longer sessions in the chair while under sedation.
For some patients, negative memories of a previous experience contribute to their dental anxiety. Another advantage of sedation dentistry is that you will not remember anything about your appointment after the sedative wears off. [pullquote]Sedation dentistry helps patients to achieve a state of deep relaxation to help them undergo treatment.[/pullquote]
Although patients feel that they are sleeping while under sedation, they actually remain conscious throughout the appointment. They can respond to the dentist’s instructions and commands, and the airway is not compromised, as it is with general anesthesia.
The sedative drugs can be delivered in various ways. Oral medications in pill form are a good choice for patients who have as many qualms about needles as they do dentists. This method does require a little advanced planning, though. You will need to take the drug prior to your appointment to give the medicine time to have its effect.
Another option, intravenous sedation, relaxes patients more quickly and is administered in the dental office prior to your appointment. Patients can also relax by inhaling a gas, typically nitrous oxide, which is also quick-acting.
If you choose sedation dentistry, you will need to arrange for a responsible adult to escort you home from your appointment. The effects of the sedatives are not particularly long-lasting, but they will not be fully reversed by the time you leave your appointment. Patients who prefer oral sedation will also need to have someone else bring them to the appointment.
Your oral health care is essential to your well-being, and if you are a reluctant dental patient, sedation dentistry can help you to get the treatments you need. You’ll be relaxed during the appointment, and you won’t remember anything afterward. Contact the office of Dr. Philip Kozlow today if you can benefit from sedation dentistry.