How sedation dentists are changing patient experiences in West Haven and Milford, CT

Everyone is a little nervous going to the dentist. More than a few are actually frightened and anxious about going to a dental appointment. Sedation dentistry makes all the fear and worry melt away. Finding an experienced sedation dentist in the West Haven and Milford, CT area is crucial to having a stress-free and pain-free dental experience. After all, real or imagined pain in the dental chair is still the No. 1 reason why so many people avoid timely dental work!

More about sedation dentistry

A sedation dentist like Dr. Joseph Tartagni of Shoreline Dental Care is a trained professional who is qualified to administer a drug or chemical to the patient that reduces conscious feeling. A familiar example of conscious sedation is the use of laughing gas, where the patient remains awake and can respond to the dentist. However, the feeling of pain is numbed. A skilled and gentle dentist can quickly complete any procedure while the patient is in this state.

One of the most common types of sedation dentistry is nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas, to take the edge off nervous patients. A gentle dentist may also choose to use a local anesthetic to sedate only the affected region. In this case, a drug is injected directly into the jaw near the problem tooth. This is very effective, but leaves a feeling of local numbness for hours, affecting speech and the ability to eat or drink normally.

Sedation dentists also offer oral medication for a deeper level of conscious sedation. Here the patient goes into a dream-like state. In fact, the patient may even be so relaxed he might fall asleep during the procedure, or feel like he’s asleep, yet conscious. This is why such a dental specialist like Dr. Tartagni is also sometimes called a sleep dentist.

Procedure for conscious sedation

With advances in both drugs and techniques, sedation dentistry is both safe and effective. A trustworthy Shoreline dentist in West Haven and Milford CT will still probe the patient’s medical history to avoid any complications. Simple sedatives like nitrous oxide can be administered using special equipment like a face mask.

Oral sedatives are usually provided to the patient some time before the dental appointment. This allows the anti-anxiety medication to take effect by the time the patient sits in the dreaded dentist’s chair! Dr. Joseph Tartagni, an experienced and gentle dentist, can judge when the patient is deep enough under the conscious sedation before starting the procedure.

Side-effects of sedation dentistry

Patients put under sedation by a sleep dentist have no feeling of pain or discomfort and may not even remember details of the actual procedure on waking up. Coming back to full consciousness can take a few minutes, depending on the individual and sedative dose. However, a sense of drowsiness stays for hours, so your Shoreline sedation dentist will request that a friend or relative drive patients back home. Other than this natural drowsiness, there are usually no other side effects from modern sedation dentistry.

If you want to learn more about how sedation dentistry can change your dental experience, visit Shoreline Dental Care, your local West Haven and Milford, CT dentist for a free consultation.

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