Sedation Dentistry An Overview
Sedation dentistry is commonly used to help patients control their dental anxiety. Fear of the dentist can restrict patients’ ability to receive the dental care they need, allowing complex oral health concerns to develop in the absence of dental care. Through dental sedation, patients with anxiety can also receive several dental treatments or procedures during one visit, saving time, money, and stress.
Santa Monica dentist and periodontist Dr. Fabrizio Dall’Olmo offers sedation dentistry options to help patients feel completely relaxed and comfortable during their dental treatments.
Sedation Dentistry Methods
- Oral Conscious Sedation: This form of sedation is taken in pill form. Some patients may take the pill several hours prior to treatment and will need a ride to and from treatment. Patients remain awake but completely relaxed during treatment.
- Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas): A breathable gas, nitrous oxide takes effect immediately after inhalation. Patients remain awake and alert during treatment but will have little to no memory of the procedure.
- IV Sedation: Dr. Dall’Olmo is IV sedation certified and offers sedation dentistry for patients who are undergoing advanced restorative dental procedures. IV sedation will allow the patient to sleep peacefully during their treatment. IV Sedation can be controlled and will be closely monitored during treatment.
Our patient’s safety and comfort are our top priority. Dr. Dall’Olmo is IV sedation certified and has over 20 years of experience. All sedation methods are recommended with discretion, taking into consideration the patient’s medical history and current health condition.
Who Benefits From Sedation Dentistry?
Traditionally, sedation dentistry targets patients that are afraid of the dentist. Some patients are only triggered by certain procedures or dental tools, while others can’t even come into the office at all. If you’re consistently avoiding your regular visits to the dentist, you’ll end up with more severe dental problems in the future. Then, you’ll have to spend more time in the office to treat extensive dental conditions.
With sedation, you’re able to get the regular dental care you need. It keeps you calm and relaxed throughout the process. We’ll help determine which form of sedation is the best for your specific needs. For instance, if you have trouble even coming into the office, oral sedation taken before your appointment is one of the better options for you.
But people with dental anxiety aren’t the only ones that benefit from sedation. It can be difficult for children or people with movement disorders to get the care they need. Involuntary movements can be dangerous when the dentist is working with the delicate parts of your mouth and sharp dental tools. Sedation helps to suppress these movements and induces a relaxed state.
Severe gag reflexes make treatment uncomfortable for both the patient and the dentist. It’s basically fighting the dentist when they’re trying to treat conditions in your mouth. Sedation calms these reflexes so that treatment is more comfortable for you and the dentist can do the work he needs to do.
When you’ve avoided dental care for a long time, you develop more extensive issues. There are other severe dental problems that can happen as you age or due to trauma. Sedation allows us to treat multiple dental conditions in one sitting. It keeps you relaxed and calm, making treatment faster and more comfortable.
