Patients with mental and developmental disabilities such as Down’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s, Cerebral Palsy and behavioral problems can undergo dental treatment by administering sedation or sleep dentistry. Each dental procedure is designed to meet the needs and goals of each patient. The treating dentist will evaluate the patient’s dental health as well as the mental and physical condition before recommending sedation or sleep dentistry. Patients suffering from mild anxiety can undergo sedation dentistry treatment. The procedure entails putting the patient in a complete relaxed state by administering sedative medications orally or intravenously. On the one hand, patients with special needs and those who exhibit dental phobia, sleep dentistry is recommended.
What is the difference between sedation and sleep dentistry?
Sedation and sleep dentistry are often interchanged in dental advertising. Sedation and sleep dentistry are forms of sedation dental treatments but the two are totally different methods. Sedation dentistry uses medications that will reduce the levels of anxiety during the treatment. After the treating dentist administers the sedative drug, the patient will be in a deep state of relaxation. The patient will hardly recall the procedure but will remain awake and aware of his surroundings. Sleep dentistry, on the one hand, puts the patient to sleep by administering general anesthesia. The patient has no recall of the procedure and unaware of his surroundings.
The treatment plan will have different level of sedation. In the case of sedation dentistry, the treating dentist can administer oral sedative drugs, use laughing gas or administer intravenous or intramuscular sedative medications. The same procedure applies to sleep dentistry; the dentist may administer general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. The type of treatment depends on the needs of the patient.
When choosing a dentist specializing in sedation and sleep dentistry, it is important to note that not all dentists are qualified to perform this treatment. In the Plantation area in the state of Florida for example, before any Fort Lauderdale dentist can administer general anesthesia, he has to have completed one year medical residency in general anesthesia in a hospital. This is in addition to the training they received from the dental school. So before undertaking any sedation or sleep dentistry, inquire about your dentists’ education and level of training to see if he is indeed qualified to perform the specialized dental treatment.
