Sedation dentistry is the process by which anxious or nervous patients are treated in a relaxed environment to remove the fear that they experience when receiving treatment normally. This involves affecting the central nervous system with drugs, including tranquilisers and anxiolytics. These can be administered to the patient in several ways.
Sedation dentistry is sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry although this doesn’t cover the whole array of techniques at the disposal of the City of London dentist. The medication used to induce the relaxed state does not have to put the patient to sleep but can simply act upon the nervous system to relax the patient and make them feel more comfortable.
Sedation dentistry can be used on any patient who is anxious about receiving any kind of dental treatment, be it cosmetic or restorative. In some cases this can help the patient to overcome their fears once they realise that there is little or no extended pain involved in the dental procedures. Sedation dentistry can also be used on patients who suffer from very sensitive teeth and find normal treatment very painful. It can also be used for patients who have medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Cerebral Palsy.
The three main types of sedation are oral conscious sedation, inhalation sedation and intravenous sedation. Each will be used depending on the conditions and the needs of the patient. The dentist may also use local or general anaesthetic to numb specific areas of the body or mouth.
Sedation dentistry has obvious benefits for patients and dentists alike. It allows them to receive the treatment they need without undergoing what can be a very traumatic experience. For the dentist, it allows them to be able to carry out the treatment without the patient behaving in an anxious manner, which can very often make things more complicated.
One of the most common problems dentists experience every day is nervous patients in their chair. This can be a problem because anxious patients are not easy to perform complex and often very intricate procedures upon. After all, when you are operating with potentially dangerous tools, the last thing you need is a patient moving around and making sudden jolts. However, most dentists do understand that visiting the dentist is a very difficult experience for some people.
Even though most dental procedures are painless while they are being carried out, nervous patients will still feel an enormous amount of stress. For example, the sound of dental drills often makes people upset, even though they will not feel anything while the dentist is working. Fortunately, your West London dentist has a number of medications and therapies available to help calm your nerves and make your dental visits as pleasant as possible.
