What Is Sedation Dentistry?

If you suffer from dental anxiety, you avoid going to the dentist until it’s absolutely necessary. But if the anxiety is severe, then it prevents you from seeking proper dental care, because of which you might face serious consequences. Apart from dental pain and tooth decay, avoiding the dentist can cause gum disease, which can affect nearly every other part of the body, leading to diabetes, heart disease, and even stroke.

In order to avoid such circumstances, there is sedation dentistry which allows performing any dental procedure without any anxiety or fear. You might be given anesthesia either by a topical gel, by injection, by pill, by nitrous oxide, or IV. Its application depends on the procedure you need.

How long does mouth-numbing last?

Once you get anesthesia, the parts of your mouth like gums, tongue, the inside of your cheeks, and your lips will feel weird. You will have to be conscious about the fact that if you’re prone to bite any area of your mouth, you will end up biting it harder than you actually intend to. You could feel the numbness just for a while. Its range depends on how much anesthesia was administered and where it was administered.

The teeth in the bottom need a higher dosage because of the nerve block in the jaw knowns as the inferior alveolar nerve. If you touch that without proper numbing, then the whole lower half of your face will ache. Your metabolism also plays a vital role; if you have a fast metabolism, you will be numb for less time than someone who has a slow metabolism. It is advised not to stress over it. In most cases within a couple of hours, you will start getting back the feeling of your usual self and will be able to enjoy all the foods you love. It is always suggested not to undergo any dental procedure right before you have an important business lunch, presentation, interview, or meeting.

What can you expect when you meet a sedation dentist?

When you meet a sedation dentist, you will have to let him know about any health conditions and any other health problems that you have or had. Just try to keep in mind the steps below, when you visit a sedation dentist:

• It will be better if you make a list of all the medications you regularly consume.
• The sedation dentist will go through your medical history.
• The sedation dentist will discuss the medications that you consume
• You can ask about the correct dosage for you.
• You will have to let them know about any recent surgery you had.
• You can ask them how many dental procedures with sedation they performed.
• You don’t have to be scared of asking any questions.

Find the best sedation dentistry request an appointment with Dr. Gonzalez at (310) 820-7272 in Los Angeles, CA