What is sleep dentistry or sedation dentistry?
Sleep dentistry and sedation dentistry are interchangeable terms used to describe methods of anxiety and pain control in oral health care. Patients may experience anxiety when visiting the dentist, and sleep dentistry allows for those patients to receive treatment without the anxiety, stress, or fear of dental procedures.
Studio Dental Care Provides Sedation Dentistry to its patients
What are the types of sedation for sleep dentistry?
- Minimal – Defined by the American Dental Association as “a minimally depressed level of consciousness, produced by a pharmacological method.” This allows patients to be relaxed during a visit. Although the patients are still conscious, they are relaxed and less jittery or nervous, allowing dentists to conduct routine procedures. Prescription medications are prescribed by the dentist, and dosage is dependent upon individual needs.
- Moderate – also, considered “conscious sedation.” The American Dental Association describes this level of sedation as a “drug-induced depression of consciousness” that allows patients to respond to dentists during the visit, but patients do not remember the actual procedure or visit. Sedatives may combine oral medications and inhaled sedatives, such as nitrous oxide—more commonly known as “laughing gas.”
- General Anesthesia – Defined by the American Dental Association as “a drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation.” This level of sedation helps extremely anxious patients who need to receive more invasive dental treatments. General Anesthesia is intravenously (IV) administered by an anesthesiologist.
In most cases, each method of sedation dentistry may require patients to be driven to and from the dental office by a friend or family member.
Studio Dental Care located in Studio City provides sleep dentistry and sedation dentistry consultations, which include details on sedation dentistry cost, procedures, and information regarding any questions or concerns a patient may have.
By Alexander Ash, DDS
Dr. Ash is the founder of Studio Dental Care. He earned his Doctorate at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, followed by two General Residencies at New York-Presbyterian / Weill-Cornell Hospital and the UCLA Sepulveda VA Hospital.