When Is Dental Sedation Recommended?
Professional dentists do as much as possible to make patients feel comfortable during their visits. Relieving stress and reducing pain are key elements dentists consider when improving the patient experience. Dentists use sedation when possible as a way to calm patients’ nerves. Sedation is an option during specific situations and treatments.
Sedation Dentistry Explained
Sedation dentistry is any treatment involving the use of a sedative. Sedatives are drugs that help patients relax by slowing brain activity. Under a sedative, the patient feels more calm, and higher dosages can even put a patient to sleep.
Dentists use sedatives on their own to relax patients, but they also use them alongside anesthetics. A sedative will relax the patient and allow the dentist to administer a topical anesthetic. Sedatives themselves do not have a numbing effect.
There are a few forms of sedation available during dental care:
- Intravenous (IV) sedatives: The dentist delivers the sedative through an IV injection.
- Oral sedatives: The dentist provides a pill for the patient to take orally before treatment.
- Inhalation sedatives: The patient inhales nitrous oxide for a few minutes before treatment.
When Dental Sedation Is Recommended
Sedation offers benefits for the patient and dentist — the patient is more calm during the treatment, making it easier for the dentist to perform. Therefore, dental sedation is common during specific treatments or when treating certain patients.
Settling Restless Patients
Restlessness in the dental chair complicates any procedure for the dentist. By administering a sedative, the dentist can work with a steady hand and provide a better outcome.
Relieving Anxiety
Some patients work themselves up before visiting the dentist. They worry about the treatments they’ll receive or the discomfort they may feel. Using a sedative calms anxious patients so that they can receive the treatment they need.
Preventing Pain
Modern dentistry implements sedatives to reduce the pain patients experience during procedures like root canal therapy, tooth removal and cavity filling. A dentist can use a sedative to calm a patient before applying a local anesthetic. Dentists also use sedatives to put patients to sleep before oral surgery.
Treating Children
Children are often the most common candidates for dental sedation. By adulthood, most patients have received enough dental care to know what to expect and enter treatment with a calm mind. Children, however, are more likely to be anxious and restless in the chair. Pediatric sedatives help the dentist provide care and ensure the child’s earliest experiences at the dentist’s office are pleasant.
How Nahel Yanni, D.D.S. Uses Dental Sedation
Dr. Nahel Yanni, D.D.S. offers sedative dentistry for patients of all ages in East Brunswick, New Jersey. As one of two dentists providing sedative care in East Brunswick, Dr. Nahel Yanni has created an office that is a great place for anxious patients to visit. Dr. Nahel Yanni supports his soothing care with a comfortable environment and compassionate staff.
Patients have three options for sedation treatment, including light sedation, moderate sedation and deep sedation. Dr. Nahel Yanni and his staff will consult you prior to treatment to determine which option is right for you.
Request Dental Services
If you are interested in receiving a sedative dental treatment in East Brunswick, Dr. Nahel Yanni and his care team can help. We encourage you to contact us online for more on our sedative dentistry options.