Using medication to assist patients relax during dental operations is known as dental sedation. It promotes relaxation, lessens anxiety, and relieves pain, enabling our Dufferin dentist to carry out the required procedures effectively.
Patients who previously avoided or put off dental appointments because of fear and anxiety may now get dental care because to sedation dentistry, which has completely changed the dental experience. The several kinds of dental sedation are listed below.
Laughing Gas
Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a moderate sedative that is breathed through a little mask worn over the nose. This type of sedation keeps you completely alert and attentive while inducing a calm and euphoric mood. After the surgery, patients can drive themselves home because nitrous oxide sedation wears off rapidly. Our Toronto dentist office uses laughing gas when needed.
IV Sedation
Rapid sedative effects are produced via intravenous (IV) sedation, which is given straight into the bloodstream. Throughout the surgery, the sedative dose may be precisely controlled with this type of sedation. Patients receiving IV sedation are extremely calm and frequently experience a twilight or semi-conscious state. IV sedation necessitates careful observation, and patients may require help returning home afterward.
Anesthesia
The deepest type of sedation, general anesthesia, is usually saved for patients experiencing severe anxiety or complicated dental treatments. It puts the patient into a state of unconsciousness so they are totally oblivious of what is happening. Our Toronto dentist administers general anesthesia, and there are certain pre-operative and post-operative procedures involved.
Oral Sedation
Prescription drugs, usually benzodiazepines, administered as pills or liquids are used for oral sedation. When compared to nitrous oxide, these drugs cause a greater degree of sedation. While awake, patients under oral sedation feel more relaxed, which may result in sleepiness. When receiving oral sedation, a responsible adult should go with you to and from the dental clinic.