What Are the Benefits of Being Sedated at The Dentist?

Sedation dentistry is an approach designed to help the patient and the dental professional. Depending on the nature of the procedure, the right approach to sedation offers benefits that would not be possible otherwise. If you are planning on having some dental work done soon, it never hurts to talk with the team at the dental clinic and find out if they will be using Toronto sleep dentistry in Markham. If so, be prepared to enjoy these benefits.

Easing Patient Anxiety

Most people experience at least a little apprehension about spending time in a dental chair. Patients who are only mildly nervous and are undergoing a basic procedure may be fine with taking something that will calm the nerves while still leaving them somewhat alert.

Other people will need a stronger type of sedation in Markham. A patient who has serious anxiety about what could happen during the procedure may be too nervous to proceed without some type of sedation. In this scenario it pays to discuss your fears with the team and see what they can do to make you as comfortable as possible.

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People who have diagnosed anxiety disorders will certainly find Markham sleep dentistry to be good for them. It’s important to talk with the dentist and provide information about the type of medication the patient already uses to manage the disorder. Both the kind and the amount will be taken into consideration. In some cases, the dental team may ask the patient to refrain from taking any anti-anxiety medication for at least 12 hours prior to the procedure. At other times, the team may adjust the sedation agent administered to compensate for the medication the patient has taken.

Keep in mind that the right approach to sedation helps to keep the nerves calm in the hours after the procedure is completed. This is important whether you were a little fearful of the procedure or if you live with a full-blown anxiety disorder. The lingering sedative effects that remain with you in the hours after you return home also helps to provide the peace and quiet needed for the surgical site to start healing. Remember that if you do take medication to control an anxiety disorder, do not resume taking it until the dental sedation has had time to work out of your system completely.

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Controlling the Gag Reflex

A gag reflex is a natural and actually helpful response in most cases. Basically, the reflex is one way the body detects and expels foreign objects from the throat and prevents the potential blockage of air passages. While this is beneficial in most instances, it can be a hindrance during certain types of dental procedures.

Specifically, the automatic spasms that occur during the gag reflex increase the potential for damage when the dentist is working on teeth and gums near the back of the mouth. What would be a relatively simple action on the part of the dentist suddenly becomes one that requires more precision and awareness of what the muscles in the throat are doing.

One of the benefits of sedation in Markham is that it helps to suppress the gag reflex. Even if the dentist is getting close enough to the throat to normally trigger it, the body will not respond. As a result of using Markham sleep dentistry, the possibility of damage to the back of the mouth is kept to a minimum.

No Pain During the Procedure

Some procedures are likely to produce no more than minimal discomfort. Others, especially invasive dental procedures, could produce significant pain. Unless something is given to help minimize that pain, the patient will not be able to remain still during the procedure. That also increases the risk of injury.

Thanks to Markham sleep dentistry, the patient will not experience any pain. One of the qualities of the sedation is that the brain does not register pain while the patient is under. Along with eliminating the potential for damage caused by sudden movements on the part of the patient, the mode of sedation used also ensures the patient does not have to deal with discomfort while the work is underway.

The Dental Team Can Work Faster

The fact that the patient is not likely to gag and will remain still during the procedure makes life a lot easier for the dental team. There is no need to compensate for sudden movements or muscle spasms. With more comprehensive procedures, the team can check the equipment monitoring the patient’s vital signs and work at a steady pace. The result is that the work can be completed in less time.

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Taking less time with the procedure is good for the patient as well. Even though you would not really be aware of the passage of time, realizing that the work did not take as long as you anticipated is something most people appreciate when they do awaken. It means you have more of the day to relax and concentrate on your recovery.

No Recollection of the Actual Procedure

Patients are generally interested in understanding how a procedure will be conducted, but are less interested in remember what actually took place. It’s important to remember that the use of sedation in Markham does a little more than keep the patient unaware of what’s happening during the procedure. It also prevents the development of memories about what transpired.

Patients don’t begin to remember what happened once the sedation wears off. While not remembering things may be a little disconcerting in other cases, it’s the rare person who would want to remember exactly how some sort of dental surgery progressed.

These are only a few of the benefits that come with choosing the right form of sedation in Markham. Have a word with your dentist and discuss the different options for Markham sleep dentistry and which ones would be appropriate for your upcoming procedure. Once you understand how the sedation works, what to expect, and why your dentist recommends that particular approach, you’ll see why so many people find sedation dentistry to their liking.