What should I know about sedation at the dentist?

Although most dental visits are for preventative purposes and require no anesthesia, in some cases, you may need to undergo a more complex procedure. In such an instance, your dentist may recommend using anesthesia. Depending on the procedure, you may need just a simple sedative to help you relax. These include anti-anxiety agents and can be applied along with a local sedative, according to the American Dental Association.

Once provided, a patient will become moderately sedated but will still be responsive to touch or verbal instructions. For more complex procedures – such as tooth extractions – your dentist may recommend drugs to induce a deep sedation. Under this type of sedation, a patient loses feeling in the intended area and reaches a reduced state of consciousness. Some patients also elect to undergo general anesthesia, which causes the patient to lose complete consciousness for the duration of the procedure.

This is often used during wisdom tooth extraction, but the American Dental Association suggests it can also be used for children who have extreme anxiety at the dentist or for people with disabilities that make it difficult to control movement. In order to make safety the highest priority during procedures with anesthesia, you as the patient should be sure to communicate the following information to your True Dental Discounts dentist ahead of time:

• Any current or past illnesses or health conditions; 
• Any medications taken, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements; 
• Any allergies to medications. 

With this information, your dentist can help you make informed decisions about your dental care.

Conventional Dentures vs. Immediate Dentures

In the event that you need dentures, you will likely be faced with a choice between conventional dentures and immediate dentures. As the name implies, immediate dentures are inserted right after the natural teeth are removed from the gums.

Conventional dentures, on the other hand, are not inserted for about six to eight weeks, once the gums have healed. According to the American Dental Association, dentists conduct a preliminary visit in order to make models of a patient’s jaws for immediate dentures. These dentures are helpful because the wearer does not have to go without teeth for weeks while waiting for the gums to heal.

However, one disadvantage is that gums and bones can shrink over time, requiring people to get immediate dentures refitted. Talk to a knowledgeable dentist on your True Dental Discounts, dental plan to figure out which option is better for you.

Signs your dentures need replaced

Despite common perceptions, dentures do experience normal wear and tear and eventually need to be replaced. In cases where the teeth are beginning to show signs of considerable wear or are becoming loose, your True Care Advantage-plan dentist will make brand new dentures to fit the changing structure of your mouth. According to the American Dental Association, a person’s mouth naturally changes with age. For instance, bone and gum ridges can recede, which in turn shifts the jaw alignment. All of these changes can result in loose dentures that need to be remade.

In cases where people ignore their ill-fitting dentures, they may experience sores or infections and have difficulty chewing. The ADA suggests that loose dentures may even change people’s facial features, so it is important to talk to your dentist if you notice any loosening of your dentures. Experts recommend that people with dentures still see the dentist regularly for exactly that purpose. Check-up visits allow the dentist to take note of any changes in the dentures and check the mouth for signs of oral cancer.