Sedation Dentistry by a Skilled Beverly Hills Dentist

Although people sometimes refer to sedation dentistry as sleep dentistry, it does not actually put you to sleep. A better description is conscious sedation. Instead, your skilled Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist uses sedatives to create a relaxing, anxiety-free dental experience.

An important option since the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation (DOCS) estimates that approximately 30 percent of people fear the dentist. The result is that too many people don’t receive the necessary dental care they need to help maintain good oral hygiene.

Overview of Sedation Dentistry

While there are several methods for administering sedation dentistry—intravenous, gas, or orally—your Century City cosmetic dentist uses oral sedation. A small pill taken an hour before treatment allows you to feel relaxed and comfortable during your dental procedure.

This no-needle approach makes the experience even more appealing to those who find going to the dentist scary. In fact, oral sedation is the most common sedation dentistry used in America today. Many times patients don’t even remember the experience.

Even though your Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist uses sedation dentistry, you’ll still need a local anesthetic at the treatment site. And be sure to have someone accompany you to your dental appointment to ensure you arrive home safely.

History of Sedation Dentistry

Although sedation dentistry has increased in popularity in recent years, it is a
practice that dates back to the 1840s. At that time, Dr. William Morton needed something to make tooth removal tolerable. He considered nitrous oxide. However, after several tests he chose ether.

Today dentists use a variety of methods for sedation dentistry. But for almost a century, the anesthetic chosen by most doctors and dentists was ether.

Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

Whether or not you have a fear of going to the dentist (sometimes referred to as dentophobia), sedation dentistry offers benefits.

• Time. Because the time seems to fly by, procedures that take hours pass by quickly for patients.
• Comfort. Going to the dentist becomes less frightening when comfortably sedated.
• Sensitivity. Sedation dentistry is a great alternative to regular dental care when patients have sensitive teeth or bad gag reflexes.
• Children. Those who aren’t able to stay seated in the dental chair for long periods may find sedation dentistry helpful.

Safety of Sedation Dentistry

As with any anesthetic, there is risk. However, to minimize that risk speak with your Century City cosmetic dentist in advance to:

• Thoroughly review your medical history
• Determine that you are a good candidate for sedation dentistry
• Learn about your dental procedures and the dose of sedative used
• Learn about your dentist’s background and training
• Get detailed information about the risks

Sedation dentistry is a safe and beneficial process. Your skilled Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist will monitor your vitals throughout the procedure to ensure your well-being.

For more answers to your questions about cosmetic and sedation dentistry, review our website, read our blog, and then contact us.