According to Colgate, approximately 15% of all Americans have odontophobia. Odontophobia, commonly referred to as the fear of the dentist, prevents many Americans from seeking regular dental care, not to mention cosmetic dental work, that can help keep their smile looking great. While some say that getting over odontophobia is a matter of learning to relax, the fact is that it’s a deep-seated psychological condition that can’t so easily be conquered. However, with the use of conscious sedation dentistry in both general and cosmetic dentistry procedures, those suffering from this fear might finally have a helping hand.
What is Conscious Sedation Dentistry?
As Dental Fear Central writes, conscious sedation dentistry is the method of applying anesthetics that will put you into a euphoric state, while keeping you conscious, thereby making it easier for you to get through painful or frightening procedures. Most commonly, IV sedation dentistry is used, but some patients will instead have an anesthetic administered like a shot into a muscle.
Can Conscious Sedation Dentistry Be Used for All Procedures?
While conscious sedation dentistry could certainly be used to put your mind at ease during most procedures, the reality is that most cosmetic dentistry professionals don’t like administering anesthetics unless absolutely necessary. As Medline Plus points out, dental implant procedures, reconstructive dental surgery, cavity fillings, and other procedures that can be considered uncomfortable or potentially painful, are often considered to be acceptable situations for application of local anesthetics.
What Are the Risks of Sedation in Dentistry?
As The Chicago Tribune details, sedation comes with a number of benefits and a few risks. The biggest benefits are that you don’t have to worry about suffering through a procedure. It will literally be over before you even know it has happened. Of course, being able to avoid pain is also quite popular among patients.
As far as the risks go, it all comes down to your personal health. If you’re taking certain medications or you have heart or respiratory issues, you should consult with your medical doctor beforehand to ensure that it’s safe for you to be sedated. Passing that step, you can go ahead with your procedure without fear.
Have you been sedated during a dental procedure? Let us know about your experience in the comments below! Continue.