Sedation Dentistry, Is It For You?

Sedation dentistry–what an interesting topic. First off, what does it mean, and is it for you? Well, it means that a person’s sedated while undergoing some dental process, such as having a cavity filled, for example. Sedated has a few different meanings, or at least one meaning with varying levels of intensity. You can be lightly sedated–that is, the dentist can make you feel dreamy and faraway and optimistic but you’re still basically all there, still basically with it–and you can be heavily or totally sedated, which means you’re not really conscious of what’s going on at the moment. Most people don’t like to be sedated at all, they like to feel they’re in control, but then again–most people don’t like paying a visit to the dentist either.

Sedation dentistry, is it for you? Should you even consider sedation dentistry before heading in? Is sedation dentistry dangerous? Can your local dentist perform sedation dentistry, or do you have to see a specialist? If you choose sedation dentistry, should you choose light sedation or heavy sedation? What are the aftereffects of sedation dentistry, how long will it take you to recover? Are there any other negative things about sedation dentistry that you should consider? Is sedation dentistry really that important to a patient? Is sedation dentistry really that helpful to either the patient or the dentist? If so, how is sedation dentistry helpful? If not, why does sedation dentistry exist in the first place?

The answer to these questions, for the most part, can only be answered by you, because you are the world’s first and foremost expert on your specific reactions to having dental work done. Dental work is a pretty overwhelming experience for many people, and for some it’s positively terrifying. Fear of dental work is an actual phobia, like fear of rats or heights. Therefore, when considering sedation dentistry of any intensity you should carefully ask yourself what you really need for your dental work to be done right and with as little misery (for you and your dentist) as possible.

Why include your dentist in that question? What reasons could a dentist possibly have for hoping that patient will choose sedation dentistry? You have to remember that dentistry is a job–it’s hard, the hours are long, the work is tedious. Dentists want to move through every visit as smoothly and quickly as possible. They have to be kind, of course, and if you’ve got a good relationship with them they probably want to be kind, but they can’t afford to treat every visit as if they’re a parent getting a child ready for bed. If, when it comes to dental work, you feel you are that child, sedation dentistry is probably a good idea. That way, everything’s over quickly–there’s no dawdling over one last TV show, indecision over which set of pajamas to wear, resistance to brushing your teeth, fear of the dark. There’s no bone dust hovering above you as a drill shrieks in your brain and blood spatters your bib. It’s as if you’ve pointed a wand at the child and all of the above chores are done instantly, the child’s in bed peacefully sleeping.

Which doesn’t mean, of course, that fear of the dentist equals immaturity at all! All sorts of people have been terrified of dentists, from artists to generals to dentists themselves. Sedation dentistry is nothing to be ashamed of–even people who aren’t particularly afraid of things dental take advantage of it from time to time. The sedatives used aren’t quite the same as those used for other kinds of surgery, which means there’s less of a risk and much, much less expense involved–but anytime a person uses sedatives of any strength he runs the risk of harming himself. When it comes to sedation dentistry, it’s a very small risk, but you’ll want to talk to your dentist if you have any serious concerns.

Dr. Gerard DiFusco, DDS, is a leading Webster dentist [http://www.webstersmilecenter.com/]. Dr. DiFusco and the Webster Dental Center specialize in Smile Makeovers, Dental Implants and Sedation Dentistry.

I Want to Be Sedated – Sedation Dentistry

It may be the title of the Ramones’ best known song, but sedation isn’t just for punk rockers anymore.

It’s also for dentists and their patients. No one likes pain, and with their drills and needles many dentists have an undeserved reputation as torturers. For many people just sitting in a dentist’s chair can mean anything from mild nervousness to a full-fledged panic attack. Your first reaction may be to laugh, but for many people dental phobia means a lifetime of pain and toothaches.

It’s a pain they no longer have to endure thanks to Sedation Dentistry.

Sedation Dentistry refers to the practice of administering a sedative before a dental procedure. For some patients this can be as little as a whiff of nitrous oxide (Laughing Gas) while for others it can mean going all the way under general anesthesia. Whatever the method, it relies on the simple truth that a nervous patient is more likely to have a bad experience than a relaxed one.

You’ve probably seen the ads that say you can sleep through your next dental appointment. Some say you’ll sleep; others simply refer to a “sleep-like state.” However they say it, they are both referring to Sedation Dentistry. What you do need to be clear on is whether they are offering Sedation Dentistry or Sleep Dentistry.

While Sleep Dentistry is really just a sub-set of Sedation Dentistry there’s one very important distinction between the two. The patient is conscious when they are undergoing Sedation Dentistry whether they have taken a mild sedative in pill form or whether they just took Laughing Gas. It’s suitable for the patient with mild to moderate anxiety, fear or nervousness. Sleep Dentistry means you’re not conscious.

There are two main approaches to Sleep Dentistry: I.V. Sedation is the more common of the two, and usually refers to the use of a moderate sedative given by intravenous drip. The big advantage of this form of Sleep Dentistry is that there are general dentists who are licensed to administer it. You should also find out whether the dentist will perform the anesthesia or if there will be an anesthesiologist there. It can be better to have one person concentrate on the work while a second looks after the patient. General anesthetics put the patient much further under and require an anesthesiologist. The patient may have to go to the hospital for treatment, and it will require a physician in attendance.

Most people who request Sedation Dentistry only need a mild sedative; however there are some cases where a patient may require Sleep Dentistry. If you are considering Sedation Dentistry it’s important to make sure you understand exactly what options are available so you can make an informed choice. If you have a special needs patient in your household they may require Sleep Dentistry, as might someone who is going to have a very large amount of work done. It may

How to Gain Dentistry Experience

Whether you are still considering a career in dentistry or you are absolutely sure this is what you want to do, nothing beats the advantage of gaining first-hand dentistry experience. It can also be said that the best dentistry experience can be found not here in the UK, but overseas in places such as India, Tanzania and the Caribbean. Shadowing a dentist in one of these countries can present a more varied array of cases than you may find at home. Gap Medics are experts in providing these kinds of placement, and here is how they can benefit you and your future:

Even before enrolling on a University dentistry course, having the opportunity to see what goes on in a dental surgery for the dentistry unit of a hospital is a wonderful chance to see what you could be doing in the future. Of course, when you do come to apply for university, being able to put down your history in dentistry (especially as a volunteer) may be the difference in making your application stand out from the crowd. Dentistry and all medical professions are keenly sought after and any edge you can get over other applicants is vitally important.

Of course, boosting your CV with the addition of dentistry experience is not the only benefit of these placements; working with the local professionals and seeing how they go about their daily business is simply an experience you cannot find here in the UK. In poorer countries and in facilities with fewer resources, you may find that the dentists and other health professionals you are working with must be more innovative and resourceful than here at home. This kind of dentistry experience may well open your eyes to both problems and solutions which will benefit you in the future.

You will not be alone as you gain this dentistry experience; you will be living and working with other potential dentists and medical professionals taking advantage of the same kind of placement as you. What may begin as an opportunity to share knowledge and experience may end in the formation of lifelong friendships and professional colleagues. Dentistry experience of this kind may not only be about pulling teeth!

While gaining this dentistry experience, you will not simply be following a qualified dentist around a dental unit; you’ll be able to gain hands-on experience, assisting them in carrying out their dentistry procedures where appropriate. You will also have the opportunity to attend teaching sessions both based on your specific field of interest, and also on more general clinical skills. You will be immersed in a world full of potential to learn and as such it will not just be your dentistry experience that benefits, but also your life experience.

Imagine the difference between enrolling on a dentistry degree course with only the most basic of previous knowledge, compared to beginning your training with such a rich background of travel and dentistry experience behind you. Having experienced one of these placements, your knowledge, confidence and communication skills will be boosted vastly and th

Why Many Dentists Are Going Into Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry is incontestably one of the hottest specialties in dentistry at the moment. Most of the young dentists graduating from schools of dentistry are finding themselves greatly drawn to cosmetic dentistry, when considering specialties to go into. Even for those who don’t eventually end up in cosmetic dentistry, it usually at least one of the things they seriously consider. All this, of course, begs the question, to the critical thinker, as to why so many dentists are going into cosmetic dentistry.

You don’t have to look very far for answers to the question as to why so many dentists are going into cosmetic dentistry.

For one, if we are to be honest with ourselves, cosmetic-dentistry is one of the fields where the money really is. Nobody wants to get into a specialty where they will face real challenges getting ‘their daily bread’ – the interests of medicine notwithstanding. The economic allure of cosmetic dentistry is attributable to the great demand for the services the specialty offers today’s ‘image obsessed’ person. As we all know, from elementary economics is that when the services of a particular specialist rises, their pay rates are likely to go up too. Even where the pay rate does not increase in terms of margins charged, opportunity exists to make up in volumes: there are simply too many people looking for the services of the cosmetic dentist.

Second is the fact that cosmetic-dentistry is one of the fields in dentistry which gives one the opportunity to indulge their creative side. Dentistry, as indeed all fields of medicine, is a rather scientific field – and it is only in a few sub-fields, an instance of which is cosmetic dentistry, that a practitioner who is artistically inclined gets a way of practicing that artistry in bringing an end to human suffering. This is important for many aspiring dentists who find themselves torn between going for an artistic career or going for a scientific career, before finally opting for dentistry. In cosmetic dentistry, where dentistry meets art, these guys find a good compromise, where they can practice the artistry they forewent in favor of a scientific career.

Third is the fact that cosmetic-dentistry is one of the fields in medicine where a person gets an opportunity to truly and profoundly impact on their patients’ lives. Let’s face it: we are living in an extremely image-conscious society, where a person’s happiness (and to some extent, success) depends to a very large extent on their looks. People who happen to have the sorts of woes addressed by cosmetic-dentistry: from ‘colored’ teeth to misaligned teeth, are at a major disadvantage in many competing platforms. Many become extremely unhappy. With the help of a cosmetic dentist, of course, these people’s happiness can quite easily be restored. So we end up with a situation where a dental practitioner who thrives on restoring a smile to a person who had lost it can find the perfect (and rather literal) opportunity to do just that, in cosmetic dentistry. Hence the popularity of cosmetic dentistry among dental practitioners who want to impact where it matters most, and where results (to the patient) are often very immediate.

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