All too frequently, a planned visit to the dentist is looked on with a degree of dread and foreboding. This is referred to as dental anxiety. Dental anxiety is not unusual, for it is quite natural for a person to be uncomfortable when placed in a position in which they feel that they are vulnerable, as occurs in the dental chair.
It is important that a patient tell the doctor if they have any dental anxiety related to their planned dental treatment. Keeping their fears hidden can only lead to a much more unpleasant experience for the patient and, in more extreme circumstances, may even increase the likelihood of certain emergencies occurring, such as fainting.
Once the dentist is aware of the patient's dental anxiety and fears, there are many ways in which they may be addressed. In some cases, simply discussing the planned procedure is all that is necessary to alleviate the patient's dental anxiety. When this is not enough, other highly effective and safe sedation techniques can be used to alleviate dental anxiety.
If the technique involves the administration of a drug, it is termed conscious sedation dentistry. The most readily available routes of conscious sedation are: oral, inhalation, intravenous and intramuscular. For extremely fearful dental patients, general anesthesia may be required.
Many dentists will prescribe a sedative drug to be taken by mouth prior to the planned treatment. If the individual has an even greater degree of dental anxiety, the doctor may prescribe an oral conscious sedative to be taken at home one hour prior to going to sleep on the evening before the appointment.
If the drug is administered at home, it is imperative that the patient not drive a car to the appointment. Patients receiving oral conscious sedation are not permitted to drive a car or operate a motor vehicle for 24 hours following their appointment. Commonly administered oral conscious sedatives include: Valium, Halcion, Dalmane, and Versed. Oral conscious sedation dentistry is most effective in the management of milder degrees of dental anxiety.
The oral medications used for Oral Conscious Sedation in dentistry are from a group of drugs known as Benzodiazapines. Not only do these medications have a sedative effect they also have some degree of amnesic effect for most people. Patients remember little or nothing about their dental appointment.
Advantages to Dental Oral Sedation:
- Easy to administer: Swallow a small pill
- It is safe and easy to monitor
- Works well for most people
- Low Cost
In many cases, you can get ALL of your dental work done in one visit. Unlike general anesthesia, which renders patients completely unconscious, oral conscious sedation leaves you able to speak and breathe on your own. Although you will not actually be asleep, you will enjoy a heightened state of relaxation - and probably won't remember much about the procedure afterwards.
Your appointment will be a dream and hours in the chair will feel like minutes. Whether you're anxious about going to the dentist or just too busy for multiple visits, oral conscious sedation can be a great solution to getting all your dental work done during one visit...comfortably and stress-free.
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