Dental sedation involves administering medicine to prevent pain and aid relaxation during dental treatment. Different dental sedation techniques are available at Thousand Smiles, including IV, inhalation and oral sedation.
If you are anxious about undergoing any dental procedure and it prevents you from getting treatment, whether replacing a missing tooth, tooth extraction or undergoing professional teeth cleaning, sedation can make the procedure easier.
Sedation may also be a good option if you need complex treatment, have a strong gag reflex or low tolerance for pain, and topical local anaesthesia isn’t enough.
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Adults and children can both have dental sedation. In most cases, children get inhalation sedation, and IV sedation is only for a few cases.
However, some people can’t get dental sedation. Our dental professional will review your medical history and medications to determine if you are suitable for dental sedation.
Different dental sedation techniques are available, depending on your needs. The options include:
For this option, the dentist will recommend oral dental sedation medication, which will relieve your anxiety and stress. You’ll likely get the prescription for the sedative you will take the night before the procedure, usually before going to bed and another in the morning.
The medication will produce a sedative effect, allowing you to relax more, but your dentist will also administer local anaesthetic to prevent pain during the dental procedure.
This sedation option involved breathing in a mixed gas of nitrous oxide and oxygen through a face mask. The mixed gas will make you feel drowsy and relaxed, but you will not be asleep during the treatment as this gives a milder level of sedation.
A few people experience side effects, usually drowsiness and nausea.
Intravenous (IV) sedation is commonly called sleep dentistry. You will not be asleep but have reduced feel and awareness. The sedation will make you sleepy and relaxed to make the treatment more comfortable.
The procedure requires injecting the drug through a plastic tube into the vein in the arm or hand.
Our dentist will take 3D images, x-rays, and models of your teeth and jaw.
Ensure you inform our doctor about any medical conditions and current medications, including over-the-counter and prescription supplements and drugs. If you have orthopaedic implants or a heart condition, you may need antibiotics before the procedure to prevent infection.
Our dental professional will create a treatment plan for you taking into account factors such as the number of teeth you want to replace and the condition of your remaining natural teeth and jawbone.
You will get local anaesthesia, sedation, or general anaesthesia to prevent discomfort during the implant placement. Our professional dentist will advise you on the most suitable.
Fitting dental implants is an outpatient procedure carried out in stages with healing time between the procedure. The implant placement involves several steps. These steps include:
The procedure can take several months, most of which is for your healing and new bone growth. Depending on your case, you may need additional procedures.
If your jawbone is overly soft or is not thick enough to support the implant, you may require a bone graft before the implant surgery. Grafting is necessary because chewing exerts great pressure on the bone, and if the bone can’t support the implant, the procedure will fail.
We have several bone graft materials for rebuilding the jaw. Your options include synthetic bone graft, like a bone-substitute mater, or bone from another body part. We will advise you on the most suitable for your situation.
The transplanted bone may take a few months to grow enough to support your dental implant. However, in some cases, the bone grafting and implant placement will be during one procedure.
During the implant placement procedure, the oral surgeon will cut your gum to expose the bone, then drill a hole into the bone to place the metal post. This post is the artificial tooth root and will remain securely in the bone.
The dentist may fit the temporary denture or crown to cover the gap where the missing tooth is. You can remove this dental restoration while sleeping or when you want to clean your denture.
After the metal implant placement in your jawbone, the osseointegration process will begin. Your jaw bone will grow around the implant post, which may take several months. It will create a solid base for the new tooth.
After osseointegration, you may require additional surgery to place the abutment, the area where the dentist will attach the crown. The procedure is a minor one, which doesn’t require local anaesthesia.
Your abutments placement may also be during the implant placement, so you will not need additional surgery. The abutment will remain above the gum line and is visible until the prosthesis placement. After the abutment placement, your gums will heal for about two weeks before placing the artificial tooth.
After your gums heal, our dentist will take your impressions to make your crown. You can place the crown until your jawbone is strong enough to support your new teeth. Depending on your needs, you may choose removable or fixed dental restoration.
After your dental implant placement, you may experience some discomfort, usually:
You may have to take antibiotics or pain medications after getting dental implants. If the discomfort, swelling or any other problem worsens the days after the procedure, contact the oral surgeon.
After your implant placement, we advise eating soft foods until the surgical site heals. Usually, we use dissolving stitches, so you won’t need another appointment to remove stitches.
You can ensure your dental implants and natural teeth last longer with the following:
Book regular dental check-ups to ensure the proper functioning of your dental implants and oral health
Like your natural teeth, ensure your implant and the artificial tooth are clean. You can use interdental toothbrushes to clean between your gums, teeth and metal posts.
Avoid chewing on hard objects like ice, including hard foods, which can damage the crown. Avoid caffeine products and tobacco. If you grind your teeth, ensure you get treatment.
Thousand Smiles has experienced dentists who can handle your dental implant placement to replace missing teeth. Visit our dental practice or call 020 8050 0280 to schedule your dental implant consultation.
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