Just moved to a new area and are conducting a dentist search for you and your kids? Make sure you pick a dentist that offers sedation dentistry.
Why Sedation Dentistry? This type of dentistry is used to relax patients who are anxious about sitting in the dentist chair. A 2012 study showed that nearly 74% of adults felt that an unattractive smile could hurt a person’s career success. Don’t let that career success falter just because you’re afraid of a routine dental cleaning or undergoing that root canal.
What is a Sedation Dentist? A sedation dentist can relieve you of your dental phobia. This type of dentist can either be a family dentist (practicing general dentistry services) or a cosmetic dentist. Nearly 80% of dentists are general practitioners while about 20% are dental specialists who limit their practices to a dental specialty area. Any specialty area can include a sedation dentist.
What is Sedation? This is a process that helps people stay relaxed and calm throughout their dental procedure via sedatives. Sedative drugs can either be administered intravenously, orally, or via a gas mask.
IV sedation is the most common way to administer the drugs because it is both safe and effective. However the needle itself could cause some patients unease, which is why many offices also offer the inhalation of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) which most patients opt for.
Is This Technique Effective? Yes! In fact, it is the most common technique used in North America. Dentists are quickly realizing that this is the best way to get people in the chair so they can perform routine dental procedures on their patients to prevent costly procedures down the road — such as dealing with tooth decay or gum disease.
Tooth decay is 15% more common than asthma among adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old, while gum disease (which can lead to tooth decay) is the most common cause of tooth loss among adults. All of these problems can be prevented by going in for regular cleanings that can be done under sedation.
Is This Procedure Covered? Unfortunately, many insurance companies do not pay for sedation dentistry. However, talk to your sedation dentist about some non-intravenous sedation procedures that could be covered by your insurance provider. Some companies will cover the cost of a procedure as long as it is started and completed in one day.
Choosing a Sedation Dentist: When looking for a dentist that offers sedation dentistry services, make sure they have the proper education for it. They should be able to tell you where they have continued there education to include sedation dentistry. Ongoing training is also a must for a sedation dentist in order to perform each procedure efficiently and correctly. Ask whether or not they offer the technique often. Find out more at this site.