The terms “sleep dentistry” and “sedation dentistry” are often used interchangeably to describe dental techniques designed to manage anxiety and pain during oral health care. Recognizing that dental visits can be a source of anxiety for many, sedation dentistry offers a solution, enabling patients to receive necessary treatment without experiencing undue stress or fear.
Studio Dental Care Provides Sedation Dentistry to its patients.
What are the types of sedation for sleep dentistry?
- Minimal Sedation: The American Dental Association defines minimal sedation as “a minimally depressed level of consciousness, produced by a pharmacological method.” This level aims to help patients relax throughout their dental appointment. While patients remain conscious, they feel calmer and less nervous, allowing dentists to perform routine procedures effectively. Minimal sedation typically involves prescription medications, with the specific type and dosage determined by the dentist based on individual patient needs.
- Moderate Sedation (Conscious Sedation): Also known as “conscious sedation,” moderate sedation is described by the American Dental Association as a “drug-induced depression of consciousness” that allows patients to respond to verbal commands from the dentist during their visit. Importantly, patients may have limited or no memory of the actual procedure or the visit itself. Moderate sedation can be achieved through a combination of oral medications and inhaled sedatives, such as nitrous oxide, commonly referred to 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,” general anesthesia is reserved for extremely anxious patients who require more extensive or invasive dental treatments. This deepest level of sedation is administered intravenously (IV) by a qualified anesthesiologist.
For patient safety and well-being, all forms of sedation dentistry generally require that patients arrange for a responsible adult to drive them to and from their dental appointment.
Studio Dental Care, located in Studio City, provides comprehensive sleep and sedation dentistry consultations. These consultations offer detailed information regarding sedation dentistry costs, available procedures, and address any questions or concerns patients 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.