Affordable Sedation Dentistry for Comfortable Dental Treatment

Many people are afraid of the pain and discomfort of dental treatments and try to avoid a visit to the dental clinic. This often leads to neglect of dental health. With the help of sedation dentistry, such people can reach a relaxed, comfortable state of mind while going for dental treatments. Sedation dentistry is thus dental treatments done under effect of relaxing/sedative drugs administered by the dentist. Sedation dentistry helps when your dental procedure is time consuming or when you are too anxious or fearful of the procedure.

Dental sedation is usually not covered by medical/ dental insurance companies.Dental clinics abroad in India, Costa Rica, Mexico etc. are more affordable in terms of cost of sedation dentistry. This is more so when the treatments required are expensive ones like teeth veneers, dental crowns or dental implants.

It is common to refer to sedation dentistry as sleep dentistry, but this is a rather misleading term. The patient feels drowsy due to the sedative, but does not actually sleep. In fact it is important that the patient remains awake, so he/she can follow directions and co-operate in the treatment.

Conscious sedation is also different from anesthesia. The person’s threshold of pain increases with sedation, but generally this does not eliminate the need for local anesthesia.

Situations where Sedation Dentistry is Used

Phobia of dental treatments is very common all over the world. According to a Canadian study, people from different parts of the world experience dental anxiety in the range of 4.2% to 20.9%. As one can expect, this amounts to compromising on dental health. This is where sedation dentistry can help by keeping the patient calm and relaxed. It is also useful when the dental procedure is time-consuming.

How does Sedation Dentistry Help?

• Sedation helps the muscles and mind to relax during the dental procedure. Studies have shown that about 18% of adult population in USA in need of dental treatments would prefer it if they had the option of sedation dentistry.
• Dental procedures like dentures and dental implants that take time to complete tend to be very uncomfortable for the patient even in the absence of dental phobia. Sedation diminishes the person’s sense of time and thus helps endure the long process.
• Sedation helps to reduce gag reflex.
• Sedation can help in pediatric dentistry, as children are otherwise difficult to be kept still and calm.
• Some dental treatments like gum surgery are extremely painful, so sedation makes it easy to bear.
• In rare situations when patients have unusually located nerves, it is difficult for the dentist to locate it for local anesthesia, so sedation might be an alternative.

Disadvantages of Sedation Dentistry

It is safe to undergo sedation dentistry with trained sedation dentists. However it is good to know the benefits and disadvantages if any. Here are some of the likely problem areas:

• Some drugs used in minimal sedation are unsuitable for patients with respiratory problems like asthma and emphysema.
• Some sedation methods need several medications. Drug sensitivity in some people might create problems here.
• Some people a afraid of needles, so intravenous deep sedation won’t be comfortable for them. IV sedation may also lead to complications like hematoma (a blood-filled swelling where the needle is inserted).
• Deep sedation does not suit people with sleep apnea. It is important that the dentist checks with the person for this disorder before deciding on the sedation method.

Sedation Dentistry Costs

The overall cost of sedation dentistry is determined by the dental treatment with which sedation is used. Dental procedures per see are very costly in the USA, Canada and UK, so adding sedation makes your procedure more expensive. To make matters worse, most dental insurance plans cover only the basic treatment. The only situation where sedation costs are covered is when using sedation reduces the need for more sessions and thus saves money.

In comparison, sedation dentistry with dental crowns, dental implants, dentures and cosmetic dentistry treatments cost much less abroad in India, Mexico, and Costa Rica. It isn’t difficult to find orthodontists and dental surgeons with special training in conscious sedation in these countries.

Cost of Dental Bridges Abroad
Dental Bridges and other dental treatments that are done with sedation dentistry