Dental Sedation: General Information

There have always been concern and a bit of uneasiness about dental sedation. Here in Los Algodones we want to tell you a little bit more about that. Just to show you that there is nothing to worry about and that it is totally safe! After all, thanks to it, the way into having a healthy and full smile becomes easier!

So in this article we shall touch what dental sedation entails, what it does, the types there are, and what benefits we get from it. The whole thing is nothing otherworldly, we assure you!

 

What is dental sedation?

Dental sedation is the medication used by the dentist in order to help the patient relax. This helps a ton as some people, especially kids, that are subjected to anxiety and uneasiness during a dental process. It also helps keeping them calm, as well as making them be still throughout the process.

A dentist has to his or her disposal an array of dental sedations to choose from. And specially in the dentistry field they are perfectly safe. Not only is the full medical history taken into account, but also the doses are very strict and kept an eye on.

 

Types of dental sedation

There are actually many types of sedation, and there’s only one of them that renders the patient unconscious. The others ones merely keep the patient relaxed and calm, and depending on which one is used, their memory of the actual procedure might be a bit foggy (Haha!).

 

Nitrous Oxide

This is more commonly known as “laughing gas”. Typically applied through a mask where the dentist will ask you to breathe through your nose. This gas merely keeps you in a state of relax. After the procedure is done, pure oxygen can be given in order to help the nitrous oxide escape more quickly.

Since it is a gas, it easily wears off with oxygen. Due to this, it is the perfectly safe for you to be able to drive home after the procedure.

 

Oral sedation

This one depends on the dose given, but is usually small or mild. For this a pill is used, which makes you sleepy and dozy during the dental procedure. They are usually taken between 20 minutes and an hour before the procedure in order to be effective.

 

Intravenous sedation

As the name implies, this one is administered through the vein, so it works pretty quickly. This is done by people who have had extensive training, otherwise it is not an option. If the patient falls asleep, they can be awakened effortlessly.

 

General anesthesia

Also called deep sedation. It is done through medication and puts you in deep sleep. As such, you are unable to feel pain or move during the process. While under the effects of general anesthesia, you cannot be easily waken up until it wears off or reverse through medication.

 

How safe is it?

Anesthesia is always a risk under inexperienced hands. That is why it is always performed by dentists with extensive knowledge and experience. It also comes as a great help for people who just can’t be calm during the procedure, giving them a better experience during it.

Although, there are certain conditions such as sleep apnea or even obesity, that may play a big factor when considering sedation. This must be brought up to the dentist or doctor and is included during the full medical history. Our Los Algodones dentist have been treating patients for years, and besides studying and getting checked up in the States, they also have plenty of experience.

If you are interested in getting treated here in Los Algodones, Mexico, you are free to contact us through the website. Our staff is very competent as well as English-speakers.