Sedation dentistry shines as one of the greatest innovations in the care of teeth and gums. The option to undergo dental work while resting obliviously and comfortably makes all the difference for some patients who may harbor serious phobias. Multiple procedures are also implementable at one appointment to save time, thanks to sedation. Schaumburg cosmetic dentist, Dr. Brent Engelberg would like to share a brief history of sedation in dentistry.
Early Anesthesia
The idea of sleeping through a dental appointment visit may make you feel like you’re lucky to be alive in modern times. However, nitrous oxide use in dentistry goes a long way back – all the way to the 1840s. Dr. William Morton was a Massachusetts dentist who wanted to take sedation even further around that time. He experimented with ether to help avoid dental discomfort. In 1846, the first tooth extraction under complete sedation occurred.
Presidential Dental Fear
Nervousness over going to the dentist can strike anyone. In fact, President Abraham Lincoln was said to have an extreme dental phobia as a result of undergoing an extraction without any anesthesia which resulted in a painful broken jaw. After that awful experience, President Lincoln feared the dentist so greatly that he avoided going again until he had a severely infected tooth. Fortunately, ether had been discovered as a sedation method at that point, so he was able to sleep right through his dental appointments from that point on.
The Importance of Sedation Dentistry
About 3/4 of adults in America admit to having some degree of dental anxiety. For a smaller, but still significant percentage, the fear runs so deeply it qualifies as a phobia. When someone has a dental phobia, the fear is so severe and palpable that they will go to great lengths to avoid dental work. This is quite dangerous considering the fact that much of what causes the need for dental work is the result of infection. When issues such as periodontal disease or tooth decay are allowed to fester, the treatment and reparations necessary become much more involved. This can lead to a vicious cycle where the phobic patient has even more reason to avoid dental procedures.
Visit your Schaumburg Cosmetic Dentist
If you would like to arrange a consultation to discuss cosmetic and sedation options with Dr. Engelberg, schedule an appointment with our 60193 dentist office by calling 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.
