If you are one of the thousands of people who break into a cold sweat when you hear the word ‘dentist,’ it is worth noting that you are not alone.
Even with modern dental technologies such as needle-free injections and noiseless drills, many people still find themselves worrying about getting into the dental chair and, as a result, may actually be putting both their oral and physical health in jeopardy. As it is human nature to avoid things we find unpleasant or scary, many phobic patients can delay seeing their dentist for years on end, which has a detrimental impact on their oral health.
Luckily, modern dental teams are not blind to the plight of nervous dental patients. Many surgeries are able to offer nervous patients options to reduce their anxiety while in the dental chair.
When you come to Sheen Dental in Richmond as a nervous or phobic patient, we will be able to offer you conscious sedation to help you cope with whichever treatment you are undertaking. There will be no judgement, no lectures and most importantly of all, no discomfort to heighten your fears. We take dental phobias very seriously and will always ensure that you are comfortable at every stage of your trip to see us.
So, what exactly is conscious sedation? One of our dentists from Sheen Dental in Richmond explains.
What is conscious sedation?
As the name suggests, conscious sedation is when a member of our team injects a patient with an IV sedative, either on the back of their hand or into their arm. This may or may not be connected to a drip bag.
Conscious sedation essentially means that the patient will be able to respond to the instructions given by the dental team during the check-up or procedure, such as opening their mouth wider, but they will be sedated and will not be aware of the environment around them.
When our team has finished the procedure, we will remove the IV drip and the patient will gradually regain full consciousness. Simple stuff!
Will conscious sedation cause drowsiness?
As a general rule, IV sedation can cause feelings of drowsiness to occur for up to 24 hours after the procedure.
When you come to Sheen Dental in Richmond to undertake IV sedation, it is essential that you bring a friend or family member with you, to escort you home afterwards and you should not drive or operate heavy machinery for 48 hours post-injection.
Are there any other options?
Our team is also able to offer inhalation sedation with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help you relax when you visit us for treatment.
This will once again render you sedated, but you will be able to follow instructions and will be able to go home afterwards to carry on with your daily routine. A bit of lightheadedness or grogginess is common for about 12-14 hours after this type of sedative option, so it may be best to avoid activities like driving post inhalation sedation.