DentistryHealthcareSedation Dentistry in Roanoke, VA – Man vs. Instinct

Teeth are one of the most important parts of the digestive system. One might think that this is not a part of it, but it is vital to the whole process. The teeth are responsible for the first stages of digestion. Once it passes through these parts, it becomes easier to digest. Also, the aesthetic part of it came with the modernization of human thinking. Dentistry became an integral part of overall health and well-being, but it also branched out into beauty. This has been known as cosmetic dentistry and has led many people into improving the look of their teeth.

However, one of the issues that have been dealt with by the dental industry is pain. There is nothing quite like getting your teeth done. For sure, it is not as complicated or as painful as an upfront surgery. One of the main differences though is the state of the patient. During the operation, you would be awake. You would be aware of everything that the dentist is doing. According to https://www.verywellmind.com/dentophobia-fear-of-dentists-2671855, this has led to a lot of people developing dentophobia or the fear of dentists.

Facing Pain

The issue regarding pain during medical operations has been around for a very long time. Pain, as a sense, keeps us alive. It is a part of our fight or flight response, and that feeling helps us survive a lot of things. We know that if we are under pain, we must be in danger. Most medical operations in the ancient world were either too topical or too invasive. There is nothing wrong with rubbing or applying some ointments to yourself. Drinking concoctions are not inherently dangerous either. However, the primitive type of surgery is far from comfortable.

Sensing danger when you are undergoing pain is a part of being human. Being under surgery is against all of that because this is mostly to keep you healthy. However, ancient practices also had their ways of mitigating pain. They are not as effective, but people still use them. Some chew certain types of leaves to not feel the pain. Others undergo some sort of ritual before going under the knife. Point is, we do not want to experience that.

Enter anesthesia, one area of medicine that introduced almost pain-free ways to treat patients. This has been a long process, but most doctors nowadays trust the power of modern anesthesias. It is the same thing with dentistry. There was the laughing gas or nitrous oxide. This is inhaled by patients to calm them while the procedure is ongoing. However, the patient needs to inhale more of it if the operation lasts longer. This is where the injection comes in.

Unfortunately, this is also one of the reasons why people are afraid of dentists. If you are going to add needles into the mix, people might freak out. Children are already well-known that they are afraid of anything that causes even a little bit of pain. However, this one would probably just worsen everything. This has been the challenge for a lot of dentists these past years. How are they going to treat these patients if they end up running away?

The Solution to this Dilemma

Sedation dentistry is something that has been explored for a long time. This involves the patient being in complete catatonia. It would be treated like a surgery, the person would just be asleep for the entire duration of the operation. This makes the dentist’s job easier because the person will not have the chance to run away or fight the dentist. It could lead to some sort of accident or injury if the patient is unruly during the operation. You can click here to learn more.

One of the main advantages of this procedure is the ease of the operation itself. Most people would fight back or feel uncomfortable under the watchful eye of the dentist. In this case, they do not need to be aware at all. They can rest and sleep knowing that it will be over after they have woken up. This makes it perfect for children and adults who have a bad case of phobia. It can be rather debilitating, and sedation helps with that. It is even available in many parts of Roanoke, Virginia!

There are two common ways for this to be administered: one intravenously and the other is tablets or medicine. Both of them are rather effective, although it depends on the patient’s preference for whether they want one over the other. It is recommended for people who are still unruly to use the IV as it is fast-acting. They might spit out the medicine as well. On the other hand, the meds are great for people who just want to sleep during the operation. It is also comparably safer. For children though, it can be quite tricky as it would depend on the age and the child’s disposition as well.

Sedation dentistry can help a lot of people who have dentophobia to get over their discomfort and fear. It might take some time though, as continuous exposure is the only way to ease this condition. However, one should note that you do not have to force the person to undergo any type of operation. If they already have a phobia, forcing them can worsen and reinforce this type of behavior. Unless the situation is serious or life-threatening, then you might want to hold off for now. You can always schedule it if they are ready.