Is sleep sedation dentistry right for you?

Got the Dental Jitters? Sleep Sedation Dentistry is One Method to Try

Sleep sedation dentistry offers relief for those of us who get the jitters when we need to have a dental procedure done. With sleep sedation dentistry or conscious sedation dentistry,you will remain awake and understand and be able to respond to what is going on around you.What is great about sleep sedation dentistry is that it allows for more dentistry to be completed in fewer appointments. This means freedom from anxiety during dental procedures. Sleep sedation dentistry will make a trip to the dentist’s office feel like a breeze! There are three common forms of sleep sedation dentistry: IV Sedation Dentistry, Oral Sedation Dentistry and Inhalation Sedation Dentistry. If you have anxiety before going to the dentist, take a look at this information on the three forms of sleep sedation dentistry and talk to your doctor if one of these methods is right for you.

IV Sedation Dentistry

With IV sedation dentistry, your doctor willinject the medication directly into your vein. The most commonly used drugs for IV sedation dentistry are in the benzodiazepine family – for example, Midazolam and Diazepam. The three main effects of benzodiazepines are that they reduce anxiety, they make you sleepy, and they produce partial or total amnesia. In general, benzodiazepines are safe and effective in the short term.The onset of action with IV sedation is more rapid than with oral sedation. The maximum level of sedation can be reached with IV sedation as apposed to oral or inhalation sedation. Because a needle has to be put into your arm for IV sedation, if you do not like needles, this might not be the right form of sleep sedation dentistry for you.

Oral Sedation Dentistry

With oral sedation dentistry, your doctor willadminister the sedative in the form of a pill that you can swallow. Like IV sedation dentistry, the most commonly prescribed medications in oral sedation dentistry belong to the benzodiazepine family – for example, Valium, Xanax or Ativan. The effects of these medications act to primarily relieve anxiety. A problem with oral sedation is that response to the drug is unpredictable. For example, if you don’t like to lose control, your brain may fight the effects of the medication, making them ineffective. If this is the case, oral sedation may not be the right form of sleep sedation dentistry for you.

Inhalation Sedation Dentistry

With inhalation sedation dentistry, you doctor will have you breathe in nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas prior to and during your dental procedure. Nitrous oxide can be safely used for short periods of time. Nitrous oxide works very rapidly, reaching the brain in 20 seconds and the relaxation and pain-killing effects develop within 2 to 3 minutes. If you have difficulty breathing through your nose, inhalation sedation dentistry might not be the right form of sleep sedation dentistry for you.

If you have extreme anxiety when visiting the dentist and would like more information on sleep sedation dentistry, check out our Sedation Dentistry Information page or call our offices in New York City today!