If you have a cold chill run down your spine just thinking about a dental appointment, you are not alone. Thousands of dental patients have an unnatural fear of going to their dentist, many of these people have such fear that they avoid visiting the dentist altogether and of course, suffer dire consequences.
To eliminate this fear and anxiety; making an appointment with a dentist in Chicago that practices sedation dentistry can be the solution. Sedation dentistry can be used for any dental procedure, everything from a simple cleaning to invasive procedures such as a root canal.
What is sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is the practice of using medication which is designed to relax patients during the dental appointment. You may know it as “sleep dentistry” but that is not an accurate description as, other than for general anesthesia, patients are awake and responsive.
There are four levels of sedation:
* Minimal; you are awake but relaxed
* Moderate; your memory of the procedure will be limited
* Deep; you are on the cusp of consciousness but can be awaked
* General anesthesia is usually carried out in a controlled environment, the patient is unconscious
In dentistry, there are really only three types of sedation employed; gas, oral and IV. Even though you are being sedated you will still have a local anesthetic at the site or the problem.
A very common sedative that is employed by a dentist in Chicago Illinois is nitrous oxide, better known as “laughing gas.” This gas is administered through a mask which is placed over the patient’s nose, mixed with oxygen the gas can be moderated to ensure that the patient stays relaxed throughout the procedure. Once the gas supply is turned off, the patient recovers from the effects very quickly.
Oral sedation is also quite common. The dentist will provide a pill which is to be taken an hour or so before the appointment. The pill has a similar effect to nitrous oxide but produces a somewhat deeper level of sedation.
Dr. Peter Tomaselli is a dentist in Chicago Illinois that has been practicing minimal sedation dentistry for many years with phenomenal success. To arrange an appointment with Dr. Tomaselli you are invited to call Chicago Smile Design.
