What Sedation Options Are Available When Getting Oral Surgery?

One of the most common anxieties people experience concerns the dentist. This can even be the case for simple evaluations and professional cleanings. This level of stress and anxiety can be even greater when it concerns oral surgery. Even with reassurances and promises, certain patients have incredible anxiety when it concerns their oral cavity care.

Due to this, an entire field in dentistry has erupted over the last twenty years. This is the field of sedation dentistry.

What Is Sedation?

For years, patients who suffered from anxiety were told to simply deal with it. Now, that is no longer the case. Sedation is, by definition, a lowered state of awareness. There are various different techniques and methods to achieve this.

Types of Sedation

Patients with anxiety might be comforted by the knowledge that most oral cavity procedures can be performed with only the lowest level of sedation. This covers the overwhelming majority of minor surgeries and procedures. The goal is to reduce the discomfort of the patient so they can be relaxed during the procedure. At this stage of sedation, the patient is aware of what is going on and conscious.

At the moderate level of sedation, it lowers the patient’s consciousness and environmental awareness to an even greater degree. The patient’s cardiovascular functionality is not impaired through the patient’s consciousness being altered. They are able to respond to stimuli and answer questions but are only vaguely aware of their surroundings.

The highest level of dental sedation is reserved for the most involved and complex surgical procedures. At this stage, patients are completely unconscious and unaware of their surroundings. During this level of sedation, they cannot respond to stimuli. This is rarely used.

Sedation has become a vital part of every surgical procedure. It is important the patient remains relaxed and stationary. If they react, the patient could be injured. Therefore, we are here to help answer any questions you may have about sedation. Please reach out to us today.