A few years ago, I realized that I was thinking about dental care all wrong. Instead of listening carefully to my dentist and making the necessary changes, I assumed that he was ultimately responsible for making sure that my teeth stayed healthy. Unfortunately, I developed a few serious cavities because I failed to properly brush and floss my teeth, and I knew that it was my fault. I decided to start taking notes at my dental checkups and carefully abiding by the dentist's orders. The difference was almost miraculous. This blog is all about working with your dentist to improve your result.
-
How to Prepare for a Dental Checkup 20 March 2024
-
The Importance of Emergency Dental Services 30 January 2024
-
How to Book a Dentist for Dental Implants 26 December 2023
-
Invisalign: The Clear Path to a Perfect Smile and Why It's Worth It 20 November 2023
Working With My Dentist
Understanding Twilight Sleep
Siiri Puro
If you've heard of sedation dentistry, chances are the term twilight sleep has come up more than once. While people often think sedation dentistry means that patients are put completely under, that's not actually true. Here's a simple explanation as to what twilight sleep is and what you can expect from it.
What Is Twilight Sleep?
Twilight sleep takes its name from the time of the evening, twilight, that is between complete nightfall and daytime. That's because twilight sleep is something like a mid-point between being fully conscious and fully unconscious.
When people are put under with twilight sleep, they typically remain fully conscious during the procedure. Their mind might drift a bit, and they'll feel extremely relaxed. However, it's nothing like general anesthesia, which knocks a patient out completely until the procedure is complete. However, twilight sleep does provide similar benefits in diminishing or ending pain entirely, so it's very useful when seeing a sleep dentist like those at Millennium Smiles.
In addition, if you experience anxiety when being taken care of by a dentist, this is a great treatment to help. Twilight sleep practically eliminates anxiety, so even people who are afraid of the dentist can typically relax while under the influence of twilight sleep.
How Is Twilight Sleep Provided?
When you ask for twilight sleep, there are a few ways if might be provided. In general, an injection of a painkiller like morphine can accomplish twilight sleep. However, you can also receive twilight sleep by being administered a drug via a breathing mask. It depends upon your personal health, needs, and what is offered by the practitioner.
Where To Get This Treatment
Twilight sleep or sedation dentistry isn't offered by all dentists. If this is a type of therapy you're interested in, you'll need to seek out a dentist who specializes in this type of care. They're typically referred to as sleep dentists or sedation dentists. If in doubt, you can always give the office a call and ask if they offer this procedure.
Sedation dentistry is a wonderful tool to have access to if you need treatment but are afraid of seeing a dentist or afraid of pain. If you typically avoid the dentist in order to manage your anxiety, it's not a good way of going about things. Your teeth and gums may suffer as a result. Instead, reach out to a sedation dentist and get the dental care you need without feeling the stress and anxiety you typically go through in the dentist's chair.
Share