Dentistry has made significant advances over the years in becoming almost virtually pain free. But for some people dentistry can still be stressful. However one of the ways to help overcome this fear is through oral sedation.
Advantages of Oral Sedation
Although it may sound scary, there are plenty of advantages to sedation. It’s easy to administer; your dentist is able to provide sedatives beforehand, all you have to do is take them about an hour before your appointment. The most common oral sedatives are Valium, Xanax, and Halcion. It’s also non-invasive and involves zero needles; more traditional sedatives, like general anesthesia, can involve needles and injections, which only increase anxiety especially if you fear both dentists and needles.
You’ll also be able to forget about your procedure; oral sedatives are strong enough to prevent the patient from remembering anything while under sedation. Don’t fear, however, as you still do maintain some control of yourself as you’re not completely asleep and maintain semi-consciousness.
Disadvantages of Oral Sedation
However, like most things, there are some disadvantages when it comes to oral sedation. One of the most significant is that it takes time to take effect due to the nature of the sedation method; unlike with general anesthesia or laughing gas, orally ingested sedatives like Valium take around an hour to fully affect you. Similarly, you also have little control over the actual level of sedation; while with general anesthesia or laughing gas the sedation levels can be regulated, with oral sedatives there’s no possibility for finer control due to the nature of the exposure and the time it takes.
You will also need someone else with you when you take oral sedatives. By the time you attend your appointment, you will likely be feeling a significant portion of the sedative’s effects meaning it’s incredibly dangerous for you to be driving on your own. This is equally true afterwards.
Serving the Sarnia region, Slipacoff Dental Centre provides a wide range of dental services, from teeth whitening and implants to dental crowns and bridges to Invisalign and traditional braces. Our welcoming and informative staff is dedicated to not only putting you at ease and making your visit as comfortable as possible, but also provide the most comprehensive and gentle dentistry possible. Check out our website for more information on our services or email us at [email protected] for more information.