New to Sedation Dentistry in Raleigh NC?
What are your unanswered questions about sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC? Hopefully, you will find answers to your questions below.
Sedation dentistry in Raleigh NC – Is it safe?
You should be more reassured now than ever about the safety of sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC. Last year (2009) was when the NC State Board of Dental Examiners began requiring dentists to be certified in the use of sedation dentistry. The certification process examines important facets of safety, such as verification of staff training, experience, and presence of equipment that supports the level of sedation that is being administered.
Back to the basics – What is sedation dentistry?
We’ll start with the term sedation which is the practice of helping people feel relaxed by administering a sedative medication. Sedative medications vary, and so do the way they are administered. Some people think that nitrous oxide (a.k.a. laughing gas) and intravenous (IV) sedation methods are the only sedation options available to them. That is NOT the case. For the most part, when you see mention of sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC, what is actually being referred to is the use of an orally administered medication. Patients who take the time to learn more about sedation often choose this as their preferred method of sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC. One reason for this preference is that a needle is not used to administer the sedation.
Certified providers of oral conscious sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC can administer multiple doses of sedation medication as needed. In many cases, this can allow the dentist to perform multiple procedures during one appointment – something that would not be reasonable to do if the patient were not sedated.
Does sedation dentistry mean that the dentist doesn’t use the other usual numbing techniques?
If you are having a procedure done that would require a localized anesthetic to make you numb to pain if you were not sedated, more than likely the sedation dentist will also use a localized anesthetic as well during sedation. So while sedation dentistry may not totally eliminate the use of needles, the local anesthesia (typically delivered by a needle) is administered after the patient has become relaxed from the sedation. This helps “bypass” the anxiety that some people experience with needles. Those who do use sedation dentistry often find they need less pain medication after the procedure is performed, compared to those who do not use sedation.
Can I use sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC even if I am not having a major procedure?
Sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC is often used for patients who experience anxiety or have unusual tooth sensitivity, regardless of whether a localized anesthetic is normally used for the procedure. If you do experience dental anxiety, rest assured that a very large percentage of the population feels the same way. While local anesthesia is not generally used for regular cleanings, some patients prefer sedation dentistry for regular cleaning. Anxiety and sensitivity should not stand in the way of your getting the treatment you need to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Sedation dentistry is the way of getting around that so that patients don’t wait until they experience pain. Pain often indicates the presence of a more advanced condition that might have been avoided – and a condition that usually requires more costly treatment.
Are there different types of sedation dentistry?
Yes, the general statutes that govern the practice of sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC (and the whole state of North Carolina) define different levels of sedation. The statutes are administered by the NC State Board of Dental Examiners. The certifications that they grant to dentists are specific to the different levels of sedation. The type of sedation that most patients are looking for is called oral conscious sedation, or limited moderate conscious sedation. With this type of sedation dentistry, patients are generally unaware of what is going on, although they are capable of responding to the dentist’s requests to open their mouths, bite down, etc.
Because the patient remains conscious with oral conscious sedation, it carries less risk than higher levels of sedation that are achieved using an IV or general anesthesia. Patients undergoing IV sedation are exposed to a greater risk of losing consciousness – and needing to be resuscitated. General anesthesia does render the patient unconscious and requires that an artificial airway be maintained because of the higher level of risk. In general, it is best not to use a level of sedation beyond what is necessary for the situation because of the increased risk. The added equipment necessary to manage the increased risk associated with IV sedation and general anesthesia are the reasons that those forms of sedation are usually significantly more expensive than other forms of sedation.
What will the sedation dentistry experience be like?
You will be required to have someone drive you to and from the appointment. When administering oral conscious sedation, your dentist may supply medication for you to take shortly before you arrive for your appointment or will administer it soon after your arrival. Most patients aren’t aware of how much time has elapsed during the appointment because the sedation causes an amnesia-like effect and little if any awareness of what happened in the dentist’s office. Depending on need, your dentist may administer an additional dose of the medication during the appointment. Patients using sedation dentistry for extensive work are usually surprised that the procedures have already been completed when the appointment is over.
Even though you are sedated, you will still be able to respond to the dentists requests because you are in a conscious (albeit unaware) state. Your ability to consciously participate (e.g., open your mouth, etc.) actually speeds along most procedures, too, because no one has to manually do those things for you.
After someone drives you home from the appointment, you may still feel groggy for a while. Different people require different amounts of time to fully recover from the effects of sedation, even if the same amount of sedation is administered.
How do I find a provider of sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC who is certified?
Because of the state’s new requirements for certification, it is possible that some dental practices may not have updated their websites. (The practice of sedation dentistry in Raleigh, NC was unregulated up until the middle of 2009.) There are a limited number of certified providers in Raleigh, NC. Contact the dental practice of interest to you and ask about whether and when the dental practice was certified by the state of NC to practice oral conscious sedation. Or, if you prefer, you can always contact the NC State Board of Dental Examiners to inquire about a specific dentist’s certification.
