If your dentist mentions “sleep dentistry,” you might assume it’s the same as sedation dentistry. However, it’s a completely different form of dental care. Explore the differences between sedation and sleep dentistry below. 

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is the use of medication to relax a patient during a dental procedure. It’s typically used for more advanced procedures such as root canal treatments and tooth extractions. However, a patient with extreme anxiety about visiting the dentist may seek sedation for simple procedures like cleanings. Most dentists offer the following sedation techniques:

• Nitrous Oxide: With this type of sedation, a patient enters a relaxed yet awake state by inhaling a gas called nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” through a small mask placed over the nose.
• Oral Medication: Dentists prescribe some patients anti-anxiety medications like diazepam and lorazepam to take about an hour before their procedure. As with nitrous oxide, oral medications relax patients without making them fall asleep.
• Intravenous Medications: Also called general anesthesia, this type of medication is delivered through an IV. Some intravenous medications will make a patient sleepy and less aware of their surroundings, while others will put the patient into a deep sleep. Sometimes, people use the term “sleep dentistry” to describe intravenous medications that trigger a deep sleep. However, as you’ll see below, the actual field of sleep dentistry has nothing to do with sedation. 

What Is Sleep Dentistry? 

Sleep dentistry refers to the use of dental techniques to treat sleep-disordered breathing, especially snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA periodically obstructs a person’s airway as they sleep, making it difficult to breathe.

A dentist can provide a custom-fit oral appliance for a patient who suffers from sleep-disordered breathing. Similar in size and shape to a retainer or mouth guard, the appliance is worn during sleep and keeps the airway unobstructed to enable healthy breathing.

The caring dentists at Beard & Holmen have been providing comprehensive dental care, including sleep dentistry, for more than 25 years. Based in Waterloo, IL, they offer in-home sleep studies to help you get to the bottom of your sleep issues and find the ideal remedy. As members of the American Dental Association, the St. Clair Dental Society, and the Illinois State Dental Society, Dr. Darryll Beard and Dr. Charles Holmen also provide cleanings, dental implants, root canals, and a variety of other services. Learn more about the practice online, and call (618) 939-7181 to schedule an appointment.