You can never tell exactly when a dental emergency will occur. Whether it’s a knocked out tooth or bleeding gums, treatment must be applied before the damage becomes irreversible. If you are in Greenwood, you can receive immediate treatment from Gillum Dentistry. When dealing with dental emergencies and any major dental procedure, you can opt for sedation dentistry prior to the procedure.
Before Treatment Begins
Before pulling a tooth or making an incision on the gums, your Greenwood dental expert will perform sedation, which allows your body to relax and become non-responsive to stimulations created by the operation. In other words, sedation will give you an anxiety-free experience. Before you can even feel it, the procedure is already done. Despite its advantages, there are still many misconceptions about sedation dentistry that make some patients reluctant to undergo it.
Debunking Myths about Sedation Dentistry
It is another term for general anesthesia. While anesthesia is synonymous with sedation as they both refer to the process of administering sedative to block the feeling of pain or other sensations, general anesthesia is completely different. Such a procedure does not only eliminate the body’s ability to feel pain, but it also puts the body to sleep. In other words, your when dentist tells you that he’s going to sedate you, it doesn’t mean he will put you to sleep.
It is only for patients with dental phobia. Not all patients fear a dentist, a dental chair, or a dental procedure. No matter how brave a patient is, however, there will still be a hint of anxiety during the procedure, which can be risky. To avoid this, a dentist will recommend sedation, either through inhalation or injection depending on the procedure being performed.
It is dangerous. The sedatives used by a dentist is categorized as anxiolytics, a type of prescription medication used to treat symptoms of acute anxiety. Do not mistake them for toxic or addictive drugs because they are relatively safe—which is why doctors prescribe them in the first place. Like any other medicine, though, too much of certain sedatives is dangerous. Your dentist knows the exact dosage to administer so there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
When choosing a dentist, always consider his background and experience, as well as his specialization, if it is necessary. A dentist who is experienced in sedation dentistry is always a good choice; it’s even more ideal to choose a dentist with a vast experience in Greenwood family dentistry, since it encompasses a wide range of dental issues.
Source:
Sedation Dentistry, YourDentistryGuide.com
General anesthesia, MayoClinic.com