What is sleep dentistry?
Sleep dentistry is a type of sedation dentistry that causes you to lose consciousness. This type of treatment is beneficial for people with severe dental anxiety.
During sleep dentistry, you are unaware of your surroundings throughout the entire procedure. Dr. Lazarof adjusts your medication as needed during treatment, ensuring you experience no side-effects.
What are the types of sleep dentistry?
At Sargon Dental, Dr. Lazarof offers several types of sleep dentistry, including:
IV sedation
IV sedation administers medication through a vein. This type of sedation bypasses your digestive system entirely, allowing for quicker absorption. IV sedation works quickly and puts you to sleep almost right away.
Following your procedure, it’s normal to feel groggy. Therefore, it is important to have a friend or family member available who can drive you home.
Intramuscular sedation
Intramuscular sedation is similar to IV sedation. The main difference is that Dr. Lazarof injects a sedative into the muscles in your upper arm or thigh.
Once the medication enters the muscle, it provides sedating effects. Because it does not enter your bloodstream immediately, intramuscular sedation takes longer to provide relaxing effects.
Oral sedation
If you are afraid of needles, Dr. Lazarof might recommend oral sedation.
On the morning of your appointment, you take a prescription medication by mouth at home. Afterward, have a friend or family member drive you to Sargon Dental. About 45 minutes after you take the medication, you start to feel drowsy and fall asleep. You wake up once the medication wears off after the procedure.
Is sleep dentistry safe?
Sleep dentistry is safe and usually well-tolerated. Once you wake up, it is normal to experience feelings of grogginess or confusion, but this should wear off shortly. Follow Dr. Lazarof’s recovery instructions carefully, and you should feel back to normal within a day.
What type of sleep dentistry will I benefit from?
The type of sleep dentistry that you will most benefit from depends on several factors, including your health history and level of dental anxiety. Following a comprehensive exam and a discussion of your goals for treatment, Dr. Lazarof can make recommendations that align with your needs.
Ultimately, the goal of sleep dentistry is to ensure your comfort throughout treatment, whether you are receiving a tooth extraction, root canal, or placement of dental implants.
To see if you are a candidate for sleep dentistry, schedule an appointment at Sargon Dental. Book a consultation online, or call the office to speak with a member of the administrative staff today.
