If you haven’t scheduled an appointment with a dentist in a long time, you could have years of accumulated damage to your teeth that need to be addressed. If you haven’t seen a dentist in years, because you’re nervous about going to the dentist, you are in good company. Millions of Americans have serious anxieties about the dentist. This could be due to several different factors. Many people don’t even remember where that anxiety came from. It’s likely that the dental anxiety came about during your childhood. Some people have bad experiences with childhood dentists; other people were convinced the dentist was scary without ever really going to one. Whatever the case may be, you can’t let that anxiety allow you to jeopardize your health.
Whatever the source of the anxiety, you have to contend with very real feelings. Even if the feelings are unfounded, they affect you regardless. So, what do you do if the dentist office induces panic and fear? A sleep dentist might be the solution to your problems.
Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry is the field of dentistry in which the dentist sedates you before performing the procedure. Depending on your level of anxiety, that could mean you take some sedation for a routine cleaning. For many people, the cleaning isn’t too terrifying, but the drills and picks make them nervous.
Conscious sedation is administered orally or intravenously. The patient stays conscious throughout the procedure but is very relaxed. You can think of it as similar to the feeling of being sleepy and somewhat inattentive.
A sleep dentist, however, performs a much more total level of sedation. Many people consider total sedation to be the highest level of patient comfort.
Total Sedation
Total sedation is performed by a trained sleep dentist. This dentist will administer a sedative that puts you to sleep. Many patients enjoy this approach, because it means that you can lie down under a warm blanket. The doctor will administer the sedative, and you’ll fall asleep. When you wake up, the procedure will be over, and years of damage will have been undone. This is ideal for people who have serious anxieties as well as years of damage. It is usually reserved for those who have a lot of work they need done. Typically, this type of sedation will be used for people who need root canals or dental implants. These are procedures that take a little while and involve drills or scalpels.
Drills and scalpels are some of the most common anxiety-inducing items. Dentists understand that you have fears about visiting the dentist. That’s completely understandable; however, it does not exempt you from ignoring dental issues. Your teeth and gums still need care no matter how nervous it makes you. That’s where sedation dentistry comes in. To know more about sleep dentist visit Cascades Center for Dental Health. You can also find them on Facebook.
