An Introduction to Sleep and Sedation Dentistry

 


James A. Vito, DMD, spent several additional years training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry after receiving a doctor of medical dentistry. His additional time at the school yielded certificates in periodontics, periodontal prosthesis, and fixed prosthodontics. James A. Vito, DMD, now leads a Wayne, Pennsylvania, dental practice, through which he provides services ranging from initial exams to sedation dentistry.

The anxiety and stress a medical setting generates in some people is enough to keep them from receiving regular treatment. Sedation dentistry and sleep dentistry may provide a solution for these individuals.

Prolonged avoidance of professional dental care can result in a number of serious health concerns, from gum disease to permanent tooth loss. The main objective of sedation dentistry and sleep dentistry is to ease a patient’s nerves to the point that they can comfortably receive treatment and avoid these issues.

Drawing on a gentle dose of IV sedation, sleep dentistry patients can safely receive any number of restorative or cosmetic dental procedures, including dental implant surgery. Sedatives are administered and managed by a board-certified anesthesiologist. To learn more about sedation dentistry and sleep dentistry options in the Wayne, Pennsylvania, region, visit www.jamesvito.com.

Sedation Dentistry for Those with Dental Phobias

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.