A great number of Australians postpone or cancel their scheduled visits at the dentist because they experience fear and anxiety from the procedures. There are a lot of sleep dentistry products on the market that provide a safe and anxiety-free experience for those who fear the dentist. There is a common misconception that all sedation products induce sleep, but in fact, most of them allow the patient to stay awake during the procedure. The only substance that causes such effect is nitrous oxide. This substance can be found in products for sleep dentistry that are to be taken orally.
The reason why sleep dentistry products are so popular is because nearly all of them are taken orally, which means there are no needles (hooray!) and people are calmer because there’s no pain!
Some of these sedatives are so powerful that even sensations such as different smells or instances of physical contact that may occur during the operation won’t be remembered afterwards.
The two most important facts about these sedatives are safety and compliance, which means that dentists have the painless and anxiety free solution to offer to their patients. Whenever the sedative is administered, patients need to be overseen by a professional, so they can assure there are no side effects or the need to increase the dosage so that the effect is at the desired level.
The benefits that come with sleep dentistry methods are: anxiety is reduced; there are less possible side effects compared to other sedatives; the procedure is quick; there are no needles; the patient will experience no pain.
In the light of all recent improvements, here are the most popular sedation dentistry methods.
The three most popular sedatives that are used by dentists are nitrous oxide, IV sedation and oral conscious sedation. Nitrous oxide, also known as the “laughing gas” is a mild sedative that is administered through a nose mask and it lasts until the while procedure is finished.
Oral conscious sedation which is the perfect choice for people who are truly scared of needles. After the procedure finishes, the effect wears off and the patient will not be able to remember any sensations from the procedure.
In the end, there is the IV sedation. This sedation is moderate in nature, which makes patients feel as if they slept through the whole procedure. The only way to administrate this sedative is through the veins, which gives instant effect. Usually, IV sedation is used for shorter, but painful treatments and the drowsiness last many hours after it’s all finished. Therefore, if you are going to undergo IV sedation, remember not to drive and bring a friend with you so he can take you home safely.
