Sedation dentistry simply means that you’re put into a relaxed state prior to and during your dental procedures. In the past most sedation was done using an IV, but there are “no needle” options available for those few who are just as uncomfortable with needles as they are with dental work. In most cases, when you’re sedated you’re still conscious, which means that you can respond to the dentist if necessary however you will not remember any details of the appointment. You’ll obviously need someone available to be your designated driver, and may experience dizziness until the sedation completely wears off, but otherwise there are few side effects. There are many levels of sedation and many different ways to administer it, so your dentist or periodontist can work with your to identify the appropriate solution.
The Benefits
One of the biggest benefits of opting for sedation dentistry is that many dental procedures typically take much less time to complete. Because the patient isn’t fidgeting or uncomfortable, your periodontist is able to focus on completing procedures much more efficiently. Since the patient won’t feel pain, your dentist is also able to get more work done at once rather than spreading it out over several visits. In some cases, dental insurance will cover sedation for this exact reason. For instance, it is often more cost effective for your insurance company overall if a dental procedure is completed in one sedated sessions rather than four sessions without sedation.
Another benefit of sedation dentistry is that you generally feel little to no pain and remember less. Knowing that you won’t be experiencing discomfort can go a long way to relieving the anxiety you may feel leading up to your procedures. Often the idea of the procedure is worse than the procedure itself, so knowing that you’ll be totally relaxed before anything happens can keep you from worrying yourself unnecessarily.
At Dr. Kenzik’s Dental and Periodontal office, we offer a wide variety of the latest dental treatment technologies in order to provide a full service setting for your dental and periodontal procedures. Contact us to schedule a consultation and create a treatment plan that will meet your unique needs.