Do you experience a panic attack just calling to schedule a routine dental appointment? Then sedation dentistry is made for you! Sedation or sleep dentistry uses medication to help patients relax during dental procedures. It’s often used for clients who experience severe anxiety during dental treatment. Sedation ensures that our patients receive necessary dental care in a stress-free manner at our comfortable and convenient Yuba City office.
Who Benefits from Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry has been around since the late 1800’s and is even easier today than it was then. Here are examples of patients that benefit from the procedure:
- Dental phobics — patients with an intense fear of dental work
- Children who cannot sit still for very long or who are extremely anxious
- Patients with low pain thresholds
- Clients who need extensive dental work
- People with a strong gag reflex
- Patients with cognitive or developmental conditions
If you or a loved one fits any of these descriptions, then read on to learn more about common procedures that use sedation as well as the levels of sedation that we offer at the Yuba City Dentistry Group.
Suggested Dental Procedures for Sedation
Our patients often request sedation during the following procedures. As a result, they experience less pain and have little to no memory of the treatment.
- Tooth extractions, including wisdom tooth removal
- Root canal therapy, for pain and anxiety management
- Periodontal treatments requiring deep gum cleanings or surgery
- Dental implant placement, as the procedure is lengthy and involves drilling
- Restorative dentistry, especially when decay or damage is extensive
Levels of Sedation Offered
There are various levels of sedation dentistry, depending on the procedure and the needs of the patient.
The least invasive sedation is inhaled minimal sedation. The sedative is nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) administered through a mask. The patient remains awake, but very relaxed.
Oral sedation is a mild to moderate form of sedation in the form of a pill taken about an hour before the procedure. The level of sedation is controlled by the dose.
Intravenous sedation is considered moderate sedation, administering a sedative drug through a vein. This type of sedation can be quickly adjusted for the maximum comfort of each patient.
General anesthesia is the deepest form of sedation. Medication is given to make the patient either almost unconscious or totally unconscious (deeply asleep) during the procedure.
Sedation Dentistry in Yuba City
Since sedation dentistry is such an extremely valuable option for patients with anxiety, special needs, or during complex procedures, we are happy to provide this service to our clients. Our dental team at the Yuba City Dentistry Group will help determine the best choice for you. So, take a deep breath and call us now to have a consultation about your sedation dentistry needs!
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