The Reality of Conscious Sedation
Conscious sedation is when patients enter into a state where their level of consciousness seems to get altered. This makes them to feel lesser pain and reduced discomfort during the treatments. Conscious sedation techniques are used in various treatments. In dentistry conscious sedation is a technique which is widely used to give patients as much comfort as possible during the treatments. Throughout the treatments, dentists keep a verbal contact with the patients and in return the patient responds as well. They relate any kind of discomfort that they feel at that time to the dentist.
The level of sedation should be as such that the patient should be able to respond well to the dentist. There are many types and forms of conscious sedation. It all depends on your level of anxiety and phobia which will help decide the dentist which one to use. The nitrous oxide/oxygen, pills, syrups, shots, gels and injections are widely available to the dentists. It has been reported that conscious sedation can also be referred to as sleep dentistry or twilight sleep. This means that you feel very relaxed and do not feel irritated by the dental procedures being undertaken in your mouth.
Indications for Conscious Sedation
- Anxious or phobic patients, those with movement disorder or with physical and/or mental disability who are unlikely to otherwise allow safe completion of treatment and who would thus be denied access to dental care.
- To enable an unpleasant procedure to be carried out without distress to the patient.
- To avoid general anaesthesia. The long term aim for patients in whom long term dental phobia could otherwise be induced or prolonged should be a graduated introduction of treatment under local anaesthesia if necessary utilising conscious sedation as an intermediate stage. It is important to ensure that each exposure to Conscious Sedation is justified.
- Patient with neuromuscular disorders such as spasticity, parkinsonism & involuntary movements conditions often wish to cooperate but physically cannot.
- Dental related problems such as gagging and trismus, persistent fainting and moderately difficult or prolonged surgery.
Some products of Conscious Sedation in Dentistry:
Nitrous Oxide sedation system
It is very easy to administer and the patient really enjoys the dental appointment. He feels no pain and discomfort throughout his treatment. It is used in contrast with other drugs to give the effects of general anaesthesia. The patient also recovers from the sedation quite quickly. Hence it is a safe sedation technique which is widely used by dentists today.
Inhaling Gas
This can be used with children who are very scared of getting shots or injections. This provides sedation and is just like laughing gas. It is inhaled through the nose and the child can become very relaxed but would be able to respond to the dentist
Intravenous sedation
When dentists use this kind of sedation then the patient feels that he has been put to sleep. It does not literally put you to sleep but it makes you numb. The patients who have used this kind of sedation stays conscious and they can well respond with the dentists. You would not be much bothered about your treatment.