Benefits of sedation dentistry

Forest Smiles – The Best Dentist in Lynchburg, VA

Many people have issues with going to the dentist. After all, most of us would say that they had at least one unpleasant experience with going to the dentist at some point in life. The children tend to have it the worst. Many children fail to adhere to a strict dental hygiene schedule – it’s just the nature of children – and as a consequence, they develop terrible problems with dental health. The fact that most kids tend to gorge on sugary, processed products really isn’t helping the picture. But the point is that many people have had an unpleasant experience with dentists at a young age when we are most vulnerable to impressions – and these impressions get ingrained in our subconscious. So, the result is that we are still afraid of the dentist even when we grow up – even though we shouldn’t be.

So, what can you do if you need to go to the dentist, but you’re afraid? You can use sedation dentistry – you can use sedatives in order to artificially cause a state of calmness during the dental visit.

There are three main levels of sedation dentistry – the first level is called minimal sedation. There are no invasive procedures here – you just need to take some gentle numbing agent, or some medication beforehand, in order to numb the area where the dentist will need to work. This will make the entire experience a lot less painful.

The second level of sedation dentistry is called moderate sedation. This moderate sedation involves the use of nitrous oxide, which is colloquially known as the laughing gas. You will feel like you’re having the time of your life when you’re at the dentist. You will retain your consciousness, but you may end up not remembering the dental procedure at all afterward.

The final level of sedation dentistry is called deep sedation. This involves the use of anesthesia in order to put you to sleep, and you will have to be monitored by an anesthesiologist. This procedure isn’t for everybody, as full anesthesia bears several risks with use, so it ought to be used only on the hardest cases of people with dental anxiety.

And the sedation may turn your dental visit from the seventh circle of hell to a walk in the park. This the effect of their use and the key benefit lies in the fact that you will be able to improve the health of your teeth and gums by going to your dentist regularly.