Be it children or adults, the fear and anxiety of undergoing dental surgeries are prevalent among everyone. Extreme pain and acute sensitivity are two biggest challenges that dental patients need to overcome and conscious sedation works incredibly well for this purpose. Here is a brief guide to how conscious dental sedation in Chino works and what the procedure involves.
What is Conscious Dental Sedation?
Conscious dental sedation is ‘relaxation dentistry’ in which one or more drugs are used to create a state of depression of the Central Nervous System (CNS). It significantly reduces fear, pain, and discomfort associated with the surgery significantly by leading the patient to a heightened state of relaxation. The drugs in this procedure are administered through different channels including oral, inhalational, intramuscular, and intravenous. The combination of medicines shows both sedative and anesthetic effects by inducing relaxation and blocking pain. Though the patient cannot speak after conscious sedation, it keeps the patient awake and enables him or her to respond purposefully to verbal commands either alone or along with light tactile stimulation.
How Does Conscious Sedation Work?
When conscious sedation is applied during any dental procedure, it causes gradual depression in consciousness. Though the effects differ from one patient to another, the very first and common signs experienced by all are drowsiness and relaxation. All anxiety, stress, and negative emotions disappear gradually and a tingling sensation along with heaviness is felt in the limbs. The reflexes get delayed and the reactions to verbal or physical stimuli slow down. Although the patient is relaxed and unable to speak, he or she remains fully responsive to the cues from the doctor.
When is Conscious Sedation Performed?
In the field of dentistry, conscious sedation is widely used for short, uncomplicated procedures like root canal, routine cleaning, cavity filling, crown replacement, prosthetic surgery, and reconstructive surgery.
Is Conscious Sedation Right for You?
Pre-sedation assessment helps in determining whether you are a suitable candidate for the procedure or not. It minimizes discomfort in people who feel panicked due to high level of dental anxiety and phobia. People who have issues like acute gag reflex, chronic jaw soreness, physical limitations, difficulty in getting numb, etc. can also be benefited by it. Conscious sedation is an effective solution for traumatic, extensive, and long dental procedures too. However, children under 1 year of age, mentally challenged adults, and pregnant women should not opt for it.
What to Expect During the Procedure?
At first, a certified and highly experienced dentist will evaluate your physiological and pharmacological requirements to come up with customized sedation protocols for you. The next steps of conscious sedation can vary depending on the type and method of the surgery. Following are the general steps to expect:
- You will be seated on the chair or lied on the table in a hospital or an outpatient clinic.
- Your dentist will administer a sedative through the most suitable method for you. For this, you may have to swallow an oral tablet, get a shot into your upper arm muscle, receive an intravenous line in your arm, or wear a facial mask for inhalation of nitrous oxide gas.
- The sedative takes effect based on the method of administration. It starts working in a few minutes for IV lines while you will have to wait for 30 minutes to 1 hour for oral pills.
- Your blood pressure and breathing will be monitored by your dentist every 3 to 5 minutes to ensure that they do not go too low. Otherwise, you may need to put on an oxygen mask.
- If everything is fine, your dentist will begin the surgical procedure for you. According to this, you will remain under sedation from anywhere between 15 minutes and several hours.
Recovery Time
You will be under observation until your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing become normal after conscious sedation. But you can still return home after a couple of hours only. Make sure that you stay away from driving, operating machinery, intense physical activities, alcohol, for at least 24 hours. You should be able to resume your routine work the next day.
Complications
Conscious sedation is generally a safe and effective option with few to no side effects. Drowsiness, heaviness, sluggishness, headache, slow reflexes, low blood pressure, nausea, amnesia, etc. are common after undergoing the procedure. But all these will subside in a couple of days.
When you opt for conscious dental sedation in Chino, you get the best services at the lowest prices. So, keep your dental phobia away and win the world with a beautiful smile.
Author Bio:
Dr. Bijal Joshi is an expert dental sedation in Chino, California who is trained and experienced to carry out laser dentistry procedures. She offers individual dental solutions to all her patients, depending upon their specific mouth conditions.
