Sedation Dentistry in Woodstock

Sedation in Dentistry: What Is It?

Also called sleep dentistry, this treatment specialty uses medications or drugs to keep patients relaxed and calm before and during checkups and procedures. The medications referred to as sedatives depress the parts of the central nervous system that control conscious awareness and produce a calming effect.

Most of the time, dentists have training to provide low-level sedation for their patients. However, they need extra training and special equipment and supplies to perform deeper sedation for dental treatment. Those who don’t have these means might keep anesthesiologists on staff or contract physicians and other dentists to perform these complex techniques. Contact us for information about how we perform sedation at our office.

Why Do Patients Need Sedation?

Some people have a genuine fear of the dentist, so they avoid getting dental treatment. With sedation, though, they can relax during dental care. Sedation dentistry is also useful for patients who are dealing with the following issues:

• Sensitive teeth
• Need a lot of dental work
• Have a low tolerance for pain
• Can’t control their gag reflex
• Can’t be still for treatment.

Sedation is especially beneficial for patients with significant fears of visiting the dentist or who won’t cooperate for procedures. Also, there’s a smaller risk for trauma when patients get sedation for dental treatment.

How Does Sedation Work?

Sedation dentistry in Woodstock involves varying levels of central nervous system depression: minimal, moderate, deep and unconscious. With minimal sedation, you’re awake and relaxed. The most popular drug for this is nitrous oxide or laughing gas. You breathe in the gas, which is mixed with oxygen, through a mask.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Minimal sedation is also known as conscious sedation for dental procedures, you’re even more relaxed and might not remember what happened during moderate sedation. Oral sedation dentistry is usually used to achieve this state, which involves taking pills or swallowing a liquid medication. Your dentist might even use both oral drugs and nitrous oxide for moderate sedation.

How Long Does Sedation Last?

How long your sedation lasts will depend on the level of sedation dentistry used. In some cases, preparation for the sedation begins the day before with fasting. This preparation might include some pills for oral sedation dentistry.

In most cases, though, sleep dentistry starts when your appointment begins. After administration, you might wait up to an hour for the medication to take effect.

The medications usually wear off in 15 minutes to multiple hours depending on what they are. While the shortest-lasting medication is nitrous oxide, the longest-lasting one is general anesthesia. Ask our dentist for more information about your sedation needs.

Does Getting Sedation Have Benefits?

You can take advantage of many benefits when you get sedation dentistry in Woodstock. General relaxation is one of the main benefits. The reason is because it can get rid of or at least reduce dental anxiety. Also, it relaxes the area of your throat that triggers a gag response. This state may even trigger amnesia for just the period of your procedure. The good thing about this is that it prevents trauma.

Pain relief from sleep dentistry is another significant benefit. The reason is because it keeps you comfortable while you get treatment.

What’s the Price of Sedation?

Your sedation dentistry cost will depend on several factors, including the level of sedation, duration of sedation and drugs used. The type of procedure that you undergo can also have an impact on how much that you pay for sedation dentistry. Most of the time, minimal sedation costs the least and general anesthesia costs the most.

Will My Insurance Cover Sedation?

The benefits of your normal plan might provide sedation dentistry insurance to cover some of the expense. However, most policies don’t pay for conscious sedation when it’s not required for the medical procedure. In such cases, the insurer considers the sedation to be an elective. Contact our office if you want help determining whether your sedation dentistry cost is covered.