Sleep dentistry, or sedation dentistry as it is also called among professionals, refers to the practice of putting a patient - you, for example - under sedation before the dental procedure is performed.

1. What to Expect During the Sleep
Dentistry Treatment
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2. Sleep dentistry, or sedation dentistry as it is also called
among professionals, refers to the practice of putting a
patient - you, for example - under sedation before the
dental procedure is performed. You are not actually put to
sleep because you will still be able to answer questions,
be aware of your surroundings, and be able to feel albeit
in a limited capacity, thanks to the state of deep
relaxation you have been placed under.
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3. Preparatory Measures
Examples of Improvements
Before undergoing any sleep dentistry treatment, you and
your dentist will discuss many relevant matters including
but not limited to:
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4. Your medical history. You may have an underlying
medical condition that precludes the use of certain anti-anxiety
medications, painkillers, and numbing agents,
among other drugs used in sleep dentistry. Your medical
condition may increase the risks for side effects and
complications during and after the sleep dentistry
treatment or may fall under one of the contraindications
of sleep dentistry. You should provide for complete
information about the medications you have been taking
or have taken so that the appropriate sedatives, among
other drugs, can be chosen for your treatment.
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5. Your planned treatment. Each sleep dentistry treatment
will have different requirements in terms of the level of
sedation, the duration of the procedure, and the level of
difficulty, among other factors. Your dentist, for example,
may choose mild sedation for a front tooth extraction but
moderate sedation for wisdom tooth removal.
Your level of anxiety. You may ask for moderate sedation
instead of mild sedation because of your high level of
anxiety, a reasonable request especially when you have a
fear of needles.
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6. Sleep dentistry is designed for patients who want to
undergo dental procedures without being subjected to the
physical and psychological pain of the treatments. But it is
important to discuss these matters with the most reliable
practitioners of sleep dentistry - the dentists at Healthy
Smiles.
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7. Treatment Procedure
The steps during a sleep dentistry treatment vary according
to the level of sedation planned for each patient. Keep in mind
that the drugs used will be administered in various ways -
inhalation or intravenous are the two main methods - so the
actual steps will also be different.
Mild sedation, also known as anxiolytics, is primarily
intended to relieve anxiety, a common issue among young and
old patients alike. In it, you will be fitted with a small nose-hood
placed over your nose, which will then be the site of
inhalation for the analgesia. You will inhale the nitrous oxide
(i.e., laughing gas) via the nose-hood before and during the
entire sleep dentistry procedure.
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8. Nitrous oxide induces a feeling of overall well-being, even a
state of deep relaxation that significantly lessens your
anxiety. You will also feel tingling and numbness but there
should be no discomfort after its administration. Your
dentist will now proceed with the planned treatment when
you have already been mildly sedated - truly, the main
reason for the popularity of sleep dentistry.
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9. Moderate sedation is characterised by a depressed level of
consciousness. You can breathe on your own (i.e., no
oxygen tank), retain your reflexes, and respond to your
dentist's verbal and physical stimulation. You will be able to
answer questions but you will probably not remember both
the questions and your answers when the sedative wears
off - a case of partial or complete amnesia, a standard effect
of the sedatives used in sleep dentistry.
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10. In moderate sedation, the sedatives and painkillers - the
latter may or may not be mixed with the former depending
on your dentist's professional discretion - can be
administered in two ways. First, intravenous sedation
involves the injection of the drugs via a vein, which means
faster onset of the effects. Second, intramuscular sedation
involves the injection of the drugs into the muscles either
of the upper arm or thigh. In both cases, a numbing agent
may be applied to the injection area.
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11. Because of the use of sedatives in sleep dentistry, you must
have someone drive you home after the procedure but
more than that, it has allowed people who were previously
fearful to come forward and take care of their dental
health.
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12. Contact Us
Address
50 Canterbury Road,
Blackburn South Vic 3130
Phone 03 9877 2035
Email: info@healthysmiles.com.au
Website: http://www.healthysmiles.com.au/