Are you afraid of the dental treatment? Are you planning go for sleep dentistry? Then this article will give you all information about how do dentist put you to sleep in dental office?
What is sleep dentistry?
Actually sleep dentistry is a misnomer because the patient will be sedated rather then sleep. This means that you will be in a state of relaxation and you brain will not respond in the way it responded for the dental phobia prior to sedation.
It's actual name is sedation dentistry. Only way to make a patient completely sleep is general anesthesia which is an uncommon option for general dental treatments.
How do dentist put you to sleep
Nitrous oxide was discoverd by Humphrey Davy in1772 people first come to know the euphoric and pain reduction capacities of the nitrous oxide by the self experiment of the Humphrey Davy during tooth ache.
Oral sedation as the name suggests is all about pills that can be used to relax and calm down the patient. It is prescribed to patient before the surgery and you will be asked to take it a night before the surgery or few hours before the surgery.
A drug which comes from the anti anxiety family will be used to make you calm and sleepy during treatment.
What is sleep dentistry?
Actually sleep dentistry is a misnomer because the patient will be sedated rather then sleep. This means that you will be in a state of relaxation and you brain will not respond in the way it responded for the dental phobia prior to sedation.
It's actual name is sedation dentistry. Only way to make a patient completely sleep is general anesthesia which is an uncommon option for general dental treatments.
How do dentist put you to sleep
Their are three pharmacological ways to sedate a patient or to make him half sleep in laymen term.
- Inhalation Sedation (Nitrous oxide sedation)
- Oral Sedation - Anti-Anxiety Tablets
- IV (Intravenous) Sedation
Inhalation Sedation (Nitrous oxide sedation)
Nitrous oxide was discoverd by Humphrey Davy in1772 people first come to know the euphoric and pain reduction capacities of the nitrous oxide by the self experiment of the Humphrey Davy during tooth ache.
In dental office a mixture of 70% Oxigen and 30 nitours oxide is used.
Patient is asked to breath through a mask which supply the mixture.
After 5 to 8 breathing patients start to feel the euphoria like state in which they feel happy! Some patients have also felt giggles (hence laughing gas).
This state of sedation and euphoria allows the dentist to work easily and allows the patient to feel relaxed and calm.
More about Sedation dentistry
Oral Sedation - Anti-Anxiety Tablets
Oral sedation as the name suggests is all about pills that can be used to relax and calm down the patient. It is prescribed to patient before the surgery and you will be asked to take it a night before the surgery or few hours before the surgery.
Most commonly used Oral sedation drug in dentistry is benzodiazepine you may have heard the name Valium or Ativan
There can be two types of the oral sedative agents-
Sedative hypnotic: Which calm you down and make you feel like sleep
Anti Anxiety: These agents will make yo feel calm and less anxious during the treatment.
Warning! you should not drive vehicle when you are taking these drugs.
Read more about Anti Anxiety Pills
IV (Intravenous) Sedation
A drug which comes from the anti anxiety family will be used to make you calm and sleepy during treatment.
Mode of administration is Intra venous ie. A needle will be inserted in your veins to give a continuous but controlled supply of the sedative drug.
Effect is profound and controlled but it should be done by a trained and certified person.
Read more about IV Sedation
How does it feel like when you are in sleep?
Different patient have different experience some feel calm and relaxed, some feel euphoria, some feel half sleep or twilight sleep, some feel tingling sensationg in body. One patient even said he wanted to stay at dentist.
It is point to be noted that complete sleep anesthesia or general anesthesia is rarely used for general dental surgical treatments.