Why You May Need a Sedation Dentist

If your fears of going to the dentist are beyond the normal anxiety levels that most people experience, you may be suffering from a dental phobia that makes a normal visit to the doctor a terrifying experience. As a result, you likely don't get basic preventative care, letting small cavities grow and flourish until you're in danger of losing the tooth completely before you can face the dental chair. Thirty percent of the population suffer from dental phobia and avoid getting needed dental care as a result.

If you fall into this category, it may be time to look for a sedation dentist to help you get dental care without the anxiety. Sedation dental care is very effective in helping patients who experience dental phobias get the oral care they need without the fear factor. Known as conscious sedation, this type of treatment involves using sedatives such as tranquilizers, nitrous oxide or anti-anxiety medications to help the patient remain calm but conscious.

A sedation dentist can administer these drugs to help fearful patients get through the visit. Even though the patient never loses consciousness, most patients feel as if they slept through the whole visit and barely even remember it. Despite feeling asleep, patients are actually awake and able to cooperate fully with the doctor without the normal fear and anxiety associated with sitting in the dental chair.

Another benefit to using a doctor trained in sedation dentistry is the fact that you can have a lot of dental work done in one visit and your altered concept of time will make it seem like you have only been in the chair for minutes instead of hours. This is a great benefit if you are a once a year patient since you will be able to get more work done in one visit than a normal appointment would allow.

If you opt for sedation, you will need a responsible caregiver to drive you home because the after effects of sedation can linger for hours and you won't be able to safely drive after your treatment until the sedation wears off.

The other downside to using sedation is the fact that many insurance companies won't pay for it. However, if your phobia is keeping you from getting dental care, it may well be worth the cost to pay for the sedation yourself to ensure you get the type of care that you know you need and attempt to get reimbursed from the insurance carrier later on.

A sedation dentist undergoes an additional 18-25 hours of training in the use of sedatives before they can sedate patients. Be sure to ask your dental care provider about their training and make sure they have undergone the extensive training in sedation dentistry necessary to practice it safety, before you schedule.