Brief History Lesson Helps Patients in Phoenix AZ Understand Dental Sedation

Sedation dentistry is the administration of special medications to allow a fearful patient to relax for treatment, or to accomplish extensive care comfortably and in one appointment. The concept has been around for a long time, but dental sedation has never been safer or more convenient than under Dr. Sameet Koppikar’s supervision at Biltmore Dental Center in Phoenix, AZ.

We’ve Come a Long Way

The human race has struggled with the oral disease throughout recorded history. A Sumerian text dating back to 5000 BC references “tooth worms” as a cause of decay. The Dental treatment worked its way through scholars, scientists, surgeons, and barbers before evolving into what we know as modern dentistry. During that time, a common thread united the desires of practitioner and patient – control of discomfort. Here are a few key dates to illustrate that point:

• 2250 BC – Babylonians mixed gum mastic with henbane seed as a remedy for a toothache from cavities.
• 1540 – Valerius Cordus used sweet vitriol, a forerunner of either, in his German dental practice.
• 1700s – Barbers perform tooth extractions and other dental procedures with NO anesthetic. Patients were not impressed.
• 1779 – The anesthetic properties of nitrous oxide were introduced by Humphry Davy.
• 1842 – William T. G. Morton astounded a Harvard amphitheater with a demonstration of painless dentistry using either.
• 1904 – Novocaine was discovered.
• 1960s – Diazepam (which you know as Valium) began to be used as a calming agent for dental patients.

Sedation at Biltmore Dental Center

With your comfort and safety as top priority, Dr. Koppikar partners with a certified dental anesthesiologist to bring anxiety-free dentistry to patients in the Phoenix area. This team approach allows Dr. Koppikar to focus his full attention on efficiently addressing necessary dental treatment, while the anesthesiologist constantly monitors your vital signs and well-being.

While nitrous oxide and methods for deeper sedation are available, oral conscious sedation is a good choice, effective and economical, for most patients. It simply involves taking a pill the night before and the morning of your appointment. You become very relaxed while a friend drives you to Dr. Koppikar’s office. You remain awake during treatment, but unconcerned about the sights, sounds, and activities around you. You are able to respond to conversation and move around if necessary. Your driver takes you home and you take it easy for the rest of the day.

The next morning you awake refreshed and with little memory of the procedure. You will, however, have a sense of wellbeing knowing that your mouth is healthier because of competent dental care.

Have you avoided visiting the dentist because of anxiety or inconvenience? Then it’s time to stop history from repeating. Call Biltmore Dental Center today at (602) 704-0659 to get your oral health back on track with sedation dentistry.