What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is an anxiety-prevention treatment that is offered to patients who have extreme anxiety when they visit a dentist. There are three types of sedation that a patient can choose from, including IV, oral and gas. The type of sedation that you select will depend a lot on your health, your anxiety level and the type of procedure that you schedule.

General Drawbacks of Sedation Dentistry

There are a few general drawbacks of sedation dentistry. First of all, sedation dental treatments are going to cost you more than a regular dental treatment. For example, the price can really skyrocket if you need IV treatments, because the procedure will need to be done in a hospital, you will need an anesthesiologist and you will need post-operative care. Another drawback of sedation dentistry is that it is not offered by some dentists. This limits who you can use for sedation dental treatments. The final drawback of sedation dentistry is it does have health risks, especially when you select oral and IV sedation.

Minimizing Health Risks

Surviving sedation dentistry is something that you really need to think about before you schedule your procedure. If you smoke, have health problems or have a history of sedation sensitivity, then sedation dentistry may not be a healthy choice for you to make. To minimize your risks of health problems and even death, you will need to get a checkup from your doctor to make sure that you are healthy enough to survive sedation. If you smoke, then you will want to quit smoking for at least two weeks before your sedation procedure to minimize your risks. Finally, you will not want to drink alcohol or take any over-the-counter medications right before your appointment, as these drugs could interact negatively with your dental sedation medications.

Author: Eisla Sebastian

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