Sedation options

Who is Sedation For?

People who have . . .

• High fear
• Traumatic dental experiences
• Difficulty getting numb
• A bad gag reflex
• Very sensitive teeth
• Complex dental problems
• Limited time to complete dental care

People who . . .

• Hate needles and shots!
• Hate the noises, smells and tastes associated with dental care
• Are afraid or embarrassed by their teeth

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry allows you to be sedated just enough to be pain free and unaware of the treatment, as if you were relaxing. That is why it is normally referred to as conscious sedation dentistry. So if you have sensitive teeth, a fear of dentists, have a bad gag reflex, hate needles, or have limited time to spend on dental care at the dentist, Sedation during dentistry procedures can help you.

Whatever the case may be sedation by your dentists can help you be more anxiety free during your dentistry treatment. Your dentist's ultimate goal is to make your visit to the dentist a relaxing and enjoyable one. Since you are completely comfortable, relaxed, and pain free your sedation dentist can do years of dental treatments in one or two dental visits.

With sedation your dentist can restore sore gums to good dental health, fix a chipped tooth, replace crowns or dentures, whiten yellow or stained teeth, and more. All pain free.

Why do I need a crown over a root canal tooth?

Almost always when a posterior (back) tooth has to receive a root canal for whatever reason (cavity, broken, infected), a crown is typically recommended following completion of root canal therapy. The reason is that the tooth is compromised from previous factors such as cavity, fracture lines, big filling, etc. The foundation of the tooth has been greatly compromised not to mention a root canal is essentially creating a hole down the middle of the tooth further weakening an already compromised tooth. A root canal also involves removing the nerve from the teeth which cuts away some of the blood and nerve supplies which can lead to desiccation or "drying out" of the tooth. Put this all together and a tooth with previous work + root canal= a tooth that will potentially fracture.

Unfortunately when these teeth fracture, they tend to do it catastrophically and sometimes to the point where they are not fixable and need to be extracted. A crown provides additional protection to the tooth as it helps splint the remaining tooth structure together and offsets some of the stresses that occur while eating, chewing, grinding, clenching etc. Depending on the situation, there are different kinds of crowns that can be used and will be discussed at a later date. Ultimately, a crown is very important following root canal therapy to minimize the changes of breaking and fracturing.

Do dentists always have to use drills/needles for dental work?

Are there ways to do dentistry with out the pain or a needle or sound of a drill?

Yes there are, but they are somewhat limited in what they can treat. For example, to not need a needle for treatment either the cavity has to be very small or the dentist uses something called “Air Abrasion” or “Laser Dentistry”. These are technologies that enable the dentist to fix cavities without using a needle or drill however they are not as effective when the cavities are deep (close to the nerve) or the tooth is sensitive.
I think an injection is much better for pain control and is better for eliminating the “what if I feel this”. An injection can almost be next to painless and the discomfort can be controlled by

1. The strength of the topical gel
2. The manner the injection is given by the dentist.

We have a special device we use sometimes called “The Magic Wand” that is very effective for getting patients numb and most patients report not feeling anything!!

I have a very simple rule…if I can't get you numb, I will not work on you that day…sometimes people just don't numb up well and it's hard to explain why but rest assured that if you are uncomfortable then I am too so I will not make you do anything that is uncomfortable. We generally have great success in getting you more than adequately numb which gives you a very comfortable, pleasant experience. Nitrous oxide(laughing gas) will often help drown out some of the sounds of the drill and also with analgesia(pain relief) during the procedure.

Regarding the sounds of the drill, we always play music while we are working..I don't like the sounds any better than my patients do? I love music from the 80s and 90s so there is always music in the background or we will play whatever music you like. We also play movies if you prefer to listen to a movie and if that's not enough…I might even sing or dance for you!

What is a bridge?

What is a bridge?

A bridge replaces one or more teeth. It often follows after a hopeless tooth has been extracted(removed).

To put in a bridge, I have to prepare and reshape the teeth on both sides of the missing tooth. The bridge consists of the replacement tooth and two crowns (caps) on each side. The crowns will fit over the prepared teeth to support the replacement tooth. This typically requires two appointments and you will be placed in temporaries at the end of the first appointment until the lab fabricates your bridge.

What is an abscess?

What is an abscess?

When you have tooth decay or gum disease, you can get infection deep within the tooth or gum. This infection is an abscessed toot and can be very painful. If it is not treated, the infection can spread and you can lose your tooth or have other health problems.

What causes an abscessed tooth?

Damage to the tooth, an untreated cavity, or gum disease can cause an abscessed tooth.

If a cavity is not treated, the inside of the tooth (called the pulp) can become infected. Bacteria can spread from the tooth to the tissue around it, creating an abscess.

Gum disease causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, leaving pockets. If food builds up in one of these pockets, bacteria can grow, and an abscess can form. Over time an abscess can cause the bone around the tooth to dissolve.

What are the symptoms?

You may have:

• Throbbing pain, especially when you chew.
• Red, swollen gums.
• A bad, foul smelling taste in your mouth.
• Swelling in your jaw or face.
• A fever.
• A bump (gumboil) that looks like a pimple on the cheek side or tongue side of the gum near the tooth.

Over time as the infection spreads, the bone in your jaw may begin to dissolve. When this happens, you may feel less pain, but the infection will remain. If you lose too much bone, your tooth will become loose and may have to be removed.

If you have a severe toothache or notice drainage of pus, call your dentist right away. You may have an abscessed tooth. If it is not treated, the infection could spread and become dangerous.

How is it treated?

If you have an abscessed tooth, your dentist will give you antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection. Antibiotics may help for a while. But to get rid of the abscess, your dentist will need to get rid off the source of infection. This is done by making hole in the tooth or gum to drain the infection. Usually this will relieve your pain.

If the inside of your tooth is infected, you will need a root canal or to have the tooth removed. A root canal tries to save your tooth by taking out the infected pulp. If you don't want a root canal or if you have one and it doesn't work, the dentist may have to remove your tooth. You and your doctor can decide the best step to take.

You may be able to reduce pain and swelling from an abscessed tooth by putting an ice pack wrapped in a towel against your cheek. You can also try over-the-counter pain medicine, including aspirin, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin). But you still need to see your dentist for treatment.

How can you prevent an abscessed tooth?

You can prevent an abscessed tooth by preventing bacterial infections in your mouth. The best way to do that is to take good care of your teeth and gums:

• Brush your teeth 2 times a day, in the morning and at night, with fluoride toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association.
• Use dental floss to clean between your teeth every day.
• See your dentist for regular dental cleanings and checkups.
• Eat a healthy diet, and limit between-meal snacks.

Some people have a very dry mouth. This can cause deep dental cavities to form quickly, which can infect the pulp of a tooth and lead to an abscess. You may be able to prevent these problems by taking frequent sips of water, chewing gum, or sucking on sugarless candy. If you have severe dry mouth symptoms, you may need to take medicine to treat the problem.

Many medicines can cause a dry mouth, including some medicines used to treat depression and high blood pressure.

Types of Dental Sedation

Sedation is a common treated administered nowadays in dentistry and extremely beneficial to the fearful, anxious, or time constrained patient who desires extensive work in a comfortable, short amount of time. Please see below to learn about the different types of sedation offered.

Types of Sedation

There are 3 different types of sedation:

1. - The lightest form of sedation is nitrous oxide (laughing gas). This produces a mild sense of relaxation.

2. - Oral sedation is a moderate form of sedation. This form of sedation typically uses two pills taken before the dental visit to produce a deep state of relaxation. It is best used for short appointments, because once the drug reaches its peak state of relaxation it slowly begins to wear off.

3. - The deepest form of sedation is IV sedation (sleep dentistry). This form of sedation uses pain relieving and sedative drugs to create a sleep like state where the patient is virtually unaware of the dentistry being preformed. Most patients have little or no memory of the visit.

Only about 4% of dentists have the training and licensing to provide IV Sedation.

Some dentists have access to all of the above forms of sedation to help a patient feel comfortable before, during and after treatment.