Sedation dentistry is arguably one of the greatest dental innovations in recent years. The option to undergo dental work while remaining asleep and comfortable makes all the difference for some highly anxious patients. Multiple procedures can be implemented at one single appointment, thanks to sedation. Comfort in dentistry isn’t exactly a new concept, however. Here is a brief history of sedation in dentistry.
The Importance of Sedation Dentistry
Close to three quarters of adults in America admit to having some degree of dental anxiety. For a smaller, but still significant percentage, dental fear runs deeply enough to qualify as a phobia. When someone has a dental phobia, their anxiety is so strong and severe, they will go to great lengths to avoid dental appointments. Unfortunately, much of what causes the need for dental work involves the time sensitive issue of infection. When issues such as periodontal disease or tooth decay are allowed to fester in your mouth, the treatment and reparations necessary become much more involved. This leads to a vicious cycle where the nervous patient has even more reason to avoid going to the dentist. The amount of work necessary can feel insurmountable.
Early Anesthetic: Ether
Sedation was once nothing more than a dream. However, nitrous oxide has been used to relieve discomfort as far back as the 1840s. Dr. William Morton was a dentist in Massachusetts who worked to improve sedation by using ether.
Anxiety over going to the dentist can strike the best of us, in fact. When President Abraham Lincoln was undergoing a routine extraction without any anesthesia, his dentist accidentally (and painfully) broke part of his jaw. After that, President Lincoln feared the dentist so much that he avoided going until years later, when he presented with a severely infected tooth. Thanks to ether, this particular extraction for the president was a much better experience.
About Downey Family Cosmetic Dental
Come visit Dr. Hadis Reyhani, Dr. Ben Reyhani, and Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh for a smile evaluation. Our skilled dentists also provide a variety of other restorative, preventive, and cosmetic dental services for the entire family. Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry serves patients from Downey, Lakewood, Whittier, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, and surrounding communities. If you would like to schedule a consultation, call us at (562)472-2433.
