A Brief Guide To Sleep Dentistry Los Angeles

Many people experience anxiety when visiting the dentist. Some have phobias relating to injections or blood. Some have memories of traumatic incidents in a dentist’s chair. Others can’t bear the thought of submitting to a long and uncomfortable procedure. Sleep dentistry Los Angeles gives nervous dental patients the option of a relaxing, peaceful and painless experience.

The term ‘sleep dentistry’ can have different meanings, but usually refers to the practice of using IV (intravenous) sedation to induce a deep state of relaxation. Patients stay conscious enough to reply to a dentist’s questions, but are tranquilized and unconcerned about what is happening. The sedation also causes loss of memory. Time seems to pass incredibly quickly. Afterwards patients may feel that they actually slept through the whole procedure.

To administer the IV, a topical anesthetic is applied to the arm or back of the hand. A thin soft plastic tube is inserted into a vein under the skin. This allows drugs to be pumped into the bloodstream. A small device is clipped onto the patient’s finger or earlobe to monitor their pulse rate and oxygen levels.

Various drugs or drug combinations can be used for IV sedation. The most commonly used are anti-anxiety medications known as benzodiazepines. They cause relaxation, drowsiness and partial or total amnesia. Individuals will vary in their sensitivity to these drugs so dentists must closely observe patients’ responses to achieve the optimal level of sedation.

The IV sedatives used by dentists do not have an anesthetic effect. Injections will still be necessary to numb the teeth and gums before a procedure. People with a fear of needles are not injected until after the sedation has taken effect, at which stage they are relaxed enough not to care.

Patients who experience IV sedation for the first time tend to be amazed and delighted by its effectiveness. Time in the dentist’s chair flies by with no discomfort or worry. Even complicated procedures on abscessed or infected teeth can be completed without causing any distress.

Not all local dentists are licensed to supply IV sedation. To qualify for a permit a dentist must undergo 60 hours of training followed by a rigorous exam and an on site inspection. However, due to the increasing popularity of IV sedation among nervous dental patients, there are a growing number of trained specialists in sleep dentistry Los Angeles.

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