Advertising can be deceptive. We all know this. But still we tend to assume that health care professionals are above that kind of trickery. However, the sort of misleading claims you will see from other dentists’ offices should give you pause. Most of the deception revolves around what they can supposedly do for you in terms of sedation dentistry methods. To say that they get loose with the terminology is putting it mildly.

Many a Southern Indiana dentist’s office will claim to offer sleep dentistry, when, in fact, the highest level of sedation they offer is oral sedation.

Is that a big deal? We think so. Here’s why: sleep dentistry is a very specific term and it involves a procedure that requires a great deal of training and expertise to administer (which our own Dr. Ron happens to have invested heavily in).

Look, the other forms of sedation may well relax you to the point of sleep. But it still is not what the ADA would deem sleep dentistry. It can get confusing to those who are not in the loop.

That’s why today we thought it might be of some use to anyone considering a complex dental procedure to explore the boundaries between the types of sedation that are available to you.

Keep reading and then be sure to get in touch to schedule your next appointment at New Albany Implants. Please keep in mind that any other area dentist’s office that practices deception in their marketing might not have your best interests at heart like we do. We have nothing to hide, and we make it so that you have nothing to lose. You are always welcome to browse our testimonials and/or come in for a complimentary consultation.

Conscious Sedation: Only The Beginning

Let’s start at the conservative end of the spectrum. With conscious sedation you stay mostly awake and are somewhat aware of what is happening around you. There are two primary vehicles for this:

Inhaled Sedation: This is where nitrous oxide is delivered through a small mask over your nose. This is a low level of sedation that relaxes you enough to sit comfortably through whatever dental work you are receiving. The effects of nitrous oxide wear off almost immediately.

Oral Sedation: This type of sedation goes a bit further than nitrous oxide, and it takes a little preparation. For this, you will take a prescription strength sedative pill before you come in for your procedure. You will be mostly awake for your treatment, and fairly aware.

Since this is a deeper level of sedation, it is not out of the realm of possibility for patients to drift off to sleep while having their dental work done. Still, when that happens they are easily awakened. It is worth mentioning that this would never be the case with true sleep dentistry.

Sleep Dentistry: The Real Deal

Unlike the other forms of sedation, sleep dentistry will put you completely under. You will be 100% asleep, and totally unaware of what is going on. You won’t be easily awoken either.

IV Sedation: This type of sedation produces unconsciousness in a matter of seconds. It is perfect for those patients who are truly fearful of dental care procedures. It is also useful for patients who require a good deal of fairly invasive dental work. IV sedation allows you to lie completely still for a long period of time, longer than anyone would be able to do while consciously sedated, so that you can have the work you need done in one visit.

General Anesthesia: This is the highest level of sedation. It is usually administered in at a hospital because it requires the expertise of a Registered Nurse Anesthetist. The effects are similar to IV sedation, so this type of sedation is ideal for patients who are absolutely phobic but cannot receive IV sedation for whatever reason.

Learn More, Get Started!

We hope that this post has been helpful. Please let us know if you are in need of sedation in conjunction with your next visit. All you have to do is contact us online to schedule an appointment at New Albany Implants! See you soon!