Sedation for Nervous Clients
Most people have some level of anxiety about having dental treatment. For some this anxiety is phobic and prevents them from even entering a dental practice. Sedation ("twilight sleep") for dental procedures can be achieved either by intra-venous (I.V.) injection of a sedative liquid such as Midazolam, or by inhalation of a sedative gas mixture of Nitrous Oxide ("Laughing Gas") and Oxygen.
There is no loss of consciousness with either of these techniques, with communication with the client possible throughout.
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Midazolam sedation (I.V.) is accompanied by amnesia, which is useful for a long dental procedure. Local analgesia is required as Midazolam has no analgesic (pain-killing) properties.
For Nitrous Oxide sedation, the client breathes the gas mixture through a small plastic nose-piece. Because the mixture contains a minimum of 75% oxygen (and maximum 25% nitrous oxide) there is no sense of nausea associated with use of a higher concentration of nitrous oxide (for example Entonox contains 50% nitrous oxide). Nitrous oxide does have some analgesic properties, making it very useful for dental procedures.
The purpose of sedation in dentistry is to allow a nervous client to receive treatment, with the long-term goal of a gradual increase in the client's sense of security and trust, to the point when sedation is no longer required.