Since 1987, James A. Vito, DMD, has improved the smiles and oral health of patients who have a wide range of dental problems. In many cases, these problems are a result of dental phobia, which makes a person avoid seeing the dentist and allows dental problems to escalate. To help put fearful patients at ease, James A. Vito, DMD, offers sedation dentistry at his Wayne, Pennsylvania, private practice.
Delivered by a board-certified anesthesiologist, sedation dentistry involves administering anti-anxiety medications intravenously prior to the dental procedure. This class of medication does not relieve pain but rather places the patient in a state of deep relaxation that is often described as dream-like. Patients are still conscious and able to respond to the dental staff if necessary, but they feel no fear. For pain control, the dentist administers local anesthesia to the treatment area once the IV medication kicks in. Throughout the procedure, the anesthesiologist monitors the patient’s oxygen levels, pulse, and blood pressure and adjusts the medication as needed to ensure his or her safety. Patients who have undergone this type of sedation frequently report that the dental procedure was over before they knew it and that they have little or no memory of what happened.
