Pain-free sedation dentistry may help reduce fear of the dentist

Shamblott Family DentistryFeb 24 2010

Fear of the dentist is a huge problem in the United States. While as many as four out of five Americans admit being afraid of the dentist, it is estimated that one in seven Americans never get any dental treatment at all because of dental phobia. Sedation dentistry is a pain-free option.

“Sedation dentistry actually comes in two forms”

Three Types Of Dental Fear

There are three different types of dental fear that affect Americans and contribute to the lack of dental care: Dental anxiety, dental fear and dental phobia.

Dental anxiety is reacting to an unknown danger. Up to 75% of Americans have at least some form of dental anxiety related to going to the dentist. It’s caused by having a dental procedure they’ve never experienced before.

Dental fear is reacting to a known danger such as a dental procedure that they’ve had done before and experienced either an uncaring dentist, excessive pain, or been told dental horror stories by family or friends.

Dental phobia is essentially an “extreme” version of dental fear. Where people with dental fear will experience their fear as they approach the dental office or enter the treatment room, dental phobia can cause people to experience an extreme “fight-or-flight” physical response just to the mention of a dentist or dental procedure.

Help For Those Suffering with Dental Phobia and Dental Fear

While the most extreme cases of dental phobia require special treatment because they cannot bring themselves to even approach a dental office, there is an excellent option for those fears.

Sedation Dentistry

According to Dr. Shamblott of Shamblott Family Dentistry in Hopkins, Minnesota, IV Sedation Dentistry or as it’s sometimes called, sleep dentistry or anxiety-free dentistry, offers a real solution for people who do not wish to experience any pain or remember anything of their dental visit.

Oral Sedation versus IV Sedation

“Sedation dentistry actually comes in two forms,” Dr. Shamblott noted. “Oral sedation dentistry uses pills to induce either a state of relaxation or sleep. The other form is IV sedation dentistry, using intravenous drug therapy to induce relaxation or sleep.”

Dr. Shamblott says that IV sedation dentistry is really the preferred form of sedation because it gives the dentist greater control over the level of sedation. It’s also safer and more predictable. The drugs may be increased or decreased depending on the level of relaxation or sleep required. In IV Sedation, a Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA administers the sedation allowing Dr. Shamblott to focus on the dental work. It is the same safe setup as used in hospitals around the country.

Some patients are satisfied with being in a deeply relaxed state. The more fearful simply wish to sleep through the dental procedure and remember nothing. IV sedation dentistry is also great for people who have long neglected their teeth and need a great deal of dental work. With IV sedation dentistry, all of their dental care can often be taken care of in one or two marathon sessions.