A Colorado Springs Cosmetic Dentist’s Comprehensive Patient Guide to Sedation Dentistry, PART 2

This four-part article series provides an in-depth overview of sedation dentistry, what it is, how it works, the benefits it offers and what patients can expect from its different methods of administration.

Welcome to the second installment of this four-part article series on sedation dentistry and everything patients need to know about this essential branch of dental healthcare. Previously, in Part 1, an experienced Colorado Springs cosmetic dentist explained what sedation is and what the three primary modes for administration are (oral pills, nitrous oxide gas and intravenous) before going on to describe what it actually feels like for patients.

Now, let’s take a look at the many benefits of sedation dentistry…

The Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

• Anxiety-free Treatment: Sedation dentistry eliminates fear and anxiety, which encourages patients to receive the routine preventative or restorative treatment they need to keep their teeth healthy.

• No More Sweaty Palms and Racing Hearts: It also eliminates many of the physical symptoms associated with fear and anxiety, which includes sweating, trembling, fainting, nausea and panic attacks.

• Pain-free Treatment: You don’t need to be terrified of the dentist to benefit from sedation dentistry.

  “Sedation is often administered to patients about to undergo complex and invasive procedures for which it eliminates pain, stress and discomfort,” explains the Colorado Springs dental implant dentist. It’s also good for patients who suffer with extremely sensitive or painful teeth.”

• Single Visit Treatment: Sedation dentistry enables dentists to perform longer and more involved procedures, such as dental implant surgery, in a single appointment instead of breaking it down into shorter phases or stages. With more work being achieved in a single appointment, patients are saved the time, inconvenience and expense of multiple procedures.

• A Good Dental Catch Up: Oftentimes, Colorado Springs dental implant dentists only see patients after many years of abandon, probably because fear and embarrassment has kept them away. Sedation dentistry enables the dentist to provide several years’ worth of treatment in only a few appointments. This isn’t the recommended way to go about receiving professional dental care, but it’s better than total neglect!

• Eliminates Gagging: Sedation can also be prescribed to those patients who have a strong gag reflex and who struggle to keep their lunch down, even when undergoing a straightforward check-up or cleaning.

• Benefits Dentist and Patient: Sedation dentistry is as beneficial to the patient as it is to the dentist. Any decent cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs is wholly concerned about the comfort and wellbeing of their patients and if a patient is seen to be struggling with panic and fear, it’s going to be hard for the dentist to dispense the quality of care they are truly capable of. By sedating the patient, both parties are put at ease and, as such, the dentist can provide the best quality care under much better and more relaxed circumstances. Patients are also calmer and more cooperative under the effects of sedation.

• Safe and Easy: Sedation medications are easily metabolized by the body, so they won’t deliver an unpleasant hangover afterwards. They also take effect really quickly and the dentist can easily control the dosage.

Who’s the Ideal Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

Image courtesy of Free Digital Photos

The ideal candidate for sedation dentistry is someone who suffers from any of the above-mentioned conditions: anxiety, fear, nervousness, strong gag reflex, painful or sensitive teeth or advanced neglect.

“If you have any kind of anxiety about undergoing dental treatment, whether it’s a routine examination or advanced surgery, sedation can really help you,” explains a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs. “It can also help you overcome your fear, making it easier for you to seek professional dental care in future, even if you’ve had a bad experience in the past.”

Stay Tuned for Part 3

To read more about sedation dentistry and what the different modes of administration entail (pills, nitrous oxide gas and IV), stay tuned for the third installment of this four-part article series.

An Overview of Cosmetic Dentistry Services in Colorado Springs

Few people realize the diverse variety of ways your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you transform troublesome teeth into a movie star smile.  Many people are still unaware of the many different cosmetic dentistry services that are available from properly qualified cosmetic dentists. However, the truth is that no matter what cosmetic imperfection you may have in your teeth or your smile, a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you!   Are you seeking a more polished look for an upcoming event such as a wedding or graduation, or do you want to appear more confident and professional in your career? A cosmetic dentist can help you get the perfect smile you’ve always dreamed about. Cosmetic dentists use a wide variety of different tools and techniques to fix teeth that are broken, crooked, discolored, too small, eroded, or even missing. High quality materials look just like natural teeth, but are resistant to the damage and discoloration that natural teeth tend to accumulate over time.   Teeth that are crowded or aligned the wrong way can greatly affect your appearance, making you self-conscious in social situations and when having your photo made. You don’t want to make a bad impression when you open your mouth to speak, smile, or laugh, but it’s a fact that people judge others based on the appearance of their teeth. If you suffer from misaligned teeth, you don’t necessarily need braces. There are other options such as Invisalign, crowns, or porcelain veneers. If you’re a coffee, soda, wine, or tea drinker, you probably have some teeth discoloration. Likewise, if you don’t brush your teeth regularly, or if you’re a smoker, your teeth will definitely appear yellowish or brownish instead of an attractive pearly white. Another cause of dental stains is damaged teeth in which some of the enamel has been destroyed. Professional teeth whitening a few times a year can help with stains caused by certain beverages and tobacco. However, if your teeth are stained because of damage to the enamel, your cosmetic dentist Colorado Springs can help you with crowns and porcelain veneers.     Does an excessive amount of gum tissue show when you smile? This is often referred to as a “gummy” smile, and it’s a common problem that many cosmetic dentists see in their practice. The good news is that there are many different therapies to fix a gummy smile. Treatments may include recontouring, laser surgery, veneers, crowns, lip surgery, or jaw surgery. Your dentist can help you figure out the best choice for you.   If left untreated, damaged or worn teeth can create health problems. Poor dental health can lead to further decay and even tooth loss, but eventually it may become a risk factor for systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Crowns, porcelain veneers, or composite veneers can benefit your health by addressing any underlying dental issues. Do you have large gaps between your teeth? This can be an embarrassing problem, but your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you fix this problem. The solution is usually as simple as Invisalign. Depending on the size of the gaps between your teeth, crowns or porcelain veneers may be better options.     Most inevitably, if you are missing any teeth, it can destroy your image and your confidence. It may even destroy your career and make social events extremely painful. While dentures and bridges were often the only solution to missing teeth in the past, dental implants are usually the top choice for replacing missing teeth today. Dental implant surgery can be done with one short procedure, and the dramatic results can be life-changing. You can feel confident that your teeth won’t wobble or click when you speak or chew, and no one will ever know the implant isn’t your natural tooth.