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5 Dental Procedures That Generally Require Sedation

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Here are some of the most common dental procedures that may require dental sedation.

To this day, despite all the medical technology designed to make treatments less invasive, fear of the dentist remains among many people. Whether it’s a traumatic experience from childhood or an unrealistic and exaggerated portrayal of dentists in our culture, many people are fearful about going to the dentist.

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Dr Thoms and his team are phenomenal. No question, the absolute best possible option for my child when he needed work done while sleeping (age based). While this option is not inexpensive, this set up of have anesthesiology in-house allowed us to get his mouth healthy when a traditional pediatric dentist could/would not. I am a parent that asks a lot of questions on behalf of my toddler’s care and at no point did I feel judged for this, nor was I rushed during my evaluation process during the consultation. Although the procedure is not one I would like to repeat for my child, my husband and I were both so pleased with how well Dr. Thoms communicated and how he clearly cared for our son’s wellbeing (both physical and emotional during a less than comfortable visit). Cannot recommend the back of house team more highly. My one detraction is the FOH staff (not everyone) were not nearly as pleasant. I would like to communicate that while their day-to-day is very routine for them, being in that office as a parent is very scary for some people in their office and a little bit of kindness goes along way. I do recall, having a very pleasant conversation with Rebecca, but otherwise everyone else was on the apathetic side, in my personal opinion. That said you’ll notice that I still am leaving a five star review because the dental staff really just knocked out of the park, but as a parent I want to encourage you to look past any rudeness you may experience over email or on the phone because Dr. Thom’s is really that excellent.
Very nice very convenient for me great people working
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad you had a positive experience with our team. We truly appreciate your 5-star review!
The staff is always compassionate and explain all the steps of the procedure. This office has been a God send for me because otherwise I would have let my teeth fall into further disrepair. I highly recommend this office!!!!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation! We’re so glad our team could help make your experience feel comfortable and supportive. We truly appreciate your 5-star review!
Searching for a new dental clinic is challenging for someone who has dental anxiety, fear, and traumatic experiences in a dental chair. The staff and doctors at the Dental Anesthesia Center were immediately very welcoming. Dr. Thoms put together a very detailed plan to repair and replace the previous work that I had in the past that was now causing problems. Putting my faith in him was the best thing that I could have done for my situation. I am more than completely satisfied with all of the extensive dental work that I’ve had with Dr.Thoms. I had my fourth sleep dentistry experience yesterday and I’m very happy with my results. I highly recommend this practice and truly want to give them more than five stars! Thank you for giving me back my health and confidence. I adding to this post because of my visit today with the best dental hygienist Delaina and my exam with Dr. Biehl. I have truly never been to such a caring and supportive dental group. Everyone is always conscientious of my needs and knows that I have issues with anxiety. I am always calm when I am sitting in the chair because of their kindness. I am so pleased with the Dental anesthesia center. There needs to be more than five stars. Thank you, everyone.
Response from the owner:We know it isn’t always easy to find a dental office where you feel at ease, so your words mean the world to us. We’re so glad you feel comfortable with our team and truly appreciate your trust and recommendation!
I am unusually tense about my appointments. However, from the moment I checked in I relaxed. The staff was welcoming and assuring, and helped me to relax completely. Dr. Hofmann is superb. He is by far the best dentist and dental surgeon I have ever ever experienced.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad our team helped create a welcoming and comforting experience. We appreciate you sharing your feedback!

As irrational as it may be at times, fear of the dentist can have many consequences on your oral health. Not going for your regular checkups might cause simple problems, such as plaque to take a turn for the worst, which may require complex and extensive procedures. It’s a vicious circle: you avoid seeing the dentist because you are afraid, but this exacerbated fear might be the thing that could affect your oral health and require multiple visits.

Sedating patients before procedures that involve pain or strange sensations could be a solution.

How Does Sedation Work?

Your St. Louis sedation dentist will use a drug or mix of drugs that allow you to remain conscious during the procedures but keeps you relaxed and calm so that you won’t get overwhelmed by stress and fear and interrupt the treatment. That allows the dental practitioner to treat you properly, even when it requires invasive procedures that take a lot of time to perform.

Make sure to talk with your sedation dentist and decide which anesthetic is best suited for your treatment and medical history.

Procedures That Generally Require Sedation

While sedation dentistry can make any fearful patient’s visit to the dentist better, it is generally recommended for invasive treatments. Procedures that take a long time and require the patient to be still are significantly shortened with the help of an anesthetic.

Here are some of the most common dental procedures that may require dental sedation.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

Because they erupt later in life and are often pushed in strange positions by the other teeth, wisdom teeth often need to be extracted. The removal can be quite difficult, especially when dealing with a “hidden” wisdom tooth, so the dentist might suggest sedation for a less traumatic treatment session.

Dental Implants

Losing your teeth can be a hard thing to cope with, whether it happens over a long time or is caused by an injury. Sedation can help a lot during the dental implant procedure, making it seem shorter and relaxing than it is.

Jaw Surgery

While it is definitely not a routine procedure, jaw surgery might be needed in some instances to treat various conditions, such as sleep apnea or a congenital jaw misalignment. Because it takes a long time to perform, it’s best to be done with sedation.

Bone Grafting

If your dentures don’t fit well enough, it will feel very uncomfortable or painful. Often, bone grafting is needed to align the dentures, and sedation greatly improves the comfort of the patient.

Emergency Dental Treatment

You are most likely still under shock or in a great amount of pain when receiving emergency dental treatment. Sedating will help you remain calm and still during the treatment.

As you can see, there are quite a few situations that may require sedation. It will help the dentist do his work uninterrupted, while the patient feels so relaxed that he often falls asleep during the treatment. Give us a call today at (314) 862-7844 and see if sedation dentistry is right for you!

Updated: August 14, 2024

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