Common Questions About Sleep And Sedation Dentistry
Moderate to complex dental procedures utilize some form of sedation medication to carry out the treatment. In each case, the patient’s dental profile and overall health are considered in determining the treatment plan and the level of sedation to be administered. As no two cases are entirely alike, the treating dentist formulate each dental procedure to custom-fit the needs the patient.
If one patient breezed through dental extraction by administering laughing gas and local anesthesia, this doesn’t mean that the same type of sedation applies to other patients requiring the same dental procedure. Simply put, in sedation dentistry, each case is treated independently of other cases, regardless of the similarity of the dental treatment and the patient’s profile. Suffice to say, there is no cookie cutter approach in sedation dentistry.
The following is an overview of some of the frequently asked questions in regards to procedures requiring sedation:
Why is there a need to put people to sleep during dental treatment?
Patients are put to sleep during dental treatment to help resolve special concerns. In the case of people who experience mild to high levels of anxiety during treatment, sedation medication or putting them in a state of deep sleep will help them relax and avoid the pain and discomfort of dental treatment. This procedure is also administered in the case of patients who have special needs and for people who need extensive work done.
What are the types of anesthesia used during the procedure?
The type of anesthesia depends on the dental work to be performed. General anesthesia, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or a combination of these sedative drugs are administered.
What is the difference between sedation and sleep dentistry?
Sleep and sedation dentistry are often interchanged but these two procedures are entirely different from one another. Although both are forms of sedation, they employ different dental practices altogether. Sedation dentistry employs medications that will put the patient in a complete relaxed state resulting to reduced anxiety during treatment. In the sedated state, the patient is able to respond to verbal commands and can breathe on their own. They will have little memory of the treatment.
On the one hand, sleep dentistry is a technique where the patient is put into a state of complete sleep. He will have no recollection of the dental work performed on him.
If the dental procedure requires administration of general anesthesia, how long will it take before one can resume to normal activities?
The patients should rest on the first day of the treatment. Most patients resume normal activities the following day.
Shouldn’t dental procedures requiring anesthesia be performed in a hospital setting?
If the dental office does not have the proper tools and equipment to accommodate sleep dentistry then the procedure is performed in a medical hospital instead. Dental offices with a team of licensed sleep dentists and fully licensed facilities and staff can carry out the dental procedure in their respective offices.
If you want to learn more about sedation and sleep dentistry, contact our Ft Lauderdale dentists at sleepdentists.com.
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