Whenever someone feels scared or apprehensive every time they visit their dentist, especially when they need something done to their teeth and not just a regular checkup and professional cleaning, sedation dentistry is often recommended to calm down and relax the patient. However, there are many factors to consider even before having this kind of treatment. There are also many types of sedation available and they may not be applicable to your situation. So in order to find out if sedation dentistry is right for you, and what type of sedation is needed, you need to have a consultation with your dentist.
Sedation dentistry is different for every case. There are several different types of sedation available and it is usually up to the dentist to determine if you need it or not, and if you do, what type and at what level. Your dentist will, of course, take into consideration your level of anxiety, your health history, whether you’re currently taking any medications, your age, and several other important factors.
Among the types of sedation dentistry, nitrous oxide is the most popular choice. Nitrous oxide (or laughing gas sedation) is usually applicable for mild uneasiness to dental procedures as it calms the patient and helps them become more comfortable in the dental chair. For moderate to heightened anxiety, there is also oral sedation (pill sedation) which allows a patient to be fully conscious during treatment and intravenous (IV) sedation, which puts the patient in deep sleep state.
Because of all the possible types of sedation, it is your dentist who will make recommendations as to which one will work best for you depending on your consultation.