What is sedation and why is it needed?
The word comes from the Latin sedatio, which means to calm. This technology is aimed at reducing the level of mental and physical activity of the patient. It is used during treatment for adults and children. The procedure for dental treatment is as follows: the patient is put on a mask or catheter with soothing gas (nitrous oxide and oxygen). The patient inhales this gas throughout the procedure and relaxes.
He does not fall asleep, as happens under anesthesia, he is not given the traditional “freeze”, he is fully conscious and feels all the manipulations of the dentist. However, during the procedure, he cannot respond to feelings of discomfort and eventually gets used to them. He leaves the feeling of fear, panic is replaced by a state of calm.
Who needs sedation
In fact, the dentist can do this procedure at the request of the patient, but there is a group of people who simply need it:
- Hyperactive and excitable patients who try to escape or injure the dentist;
- Patients who are in a state of intense panic fear and horror;
- Patients suffering from mental disorders;
- Patients who do not know how to control their reaction during painful sensations and can harm themselves or the doctor.
Also, the technology is applied to patients who have contraindications to anesthesia, and he needs a complex surgical intervention or treatment of several teeth at once.
Types of sedation
Sedation is divided into two types: superficial and deep. Basically, in dentistry they try to use superficial. But if there is a doctor's testimony, they also do a deep one. What is their difference?
With superficial sedation, the patient is fully conscious, but at the same time, does not feel fear and anxiety. He is injected with a small dose of "relaxing gas".
Deep sedation introduces the patient into a state close to anesthesia, his consciousness turns off, and some basic reflexes are suppressed. This procedure is carried out under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and is carried out in dental clinics, where there is the necessary equipment for this.
Benefits of sedation
The advantages of the procedure are that the dentist is comfortable and calm to carry out his manipulations. The patient relaxes, is not afraid of the intervention of the doctor, and he can carry out the procedure faster and more reliably. The technology is suitable even for children who are afraid to go to the dentist. If for the first time dental treatment is carried out under sedation, the next time the child will not have a fear of dentists. Almost any dental procedure can be performed under sedation.
Disadvantages of sedation
If we talk about the disadvantages of this technology, then first of all it is that sedation does not replace anesthesia. The patient will still experience discomfort and possibly pain, but will be relaxed, as his physical and mental activity is reduced. The second is the cost of the procedure, while it is quite expensive.
Before the procedure, you must first pass the tests and consult a doctor.
