(305) 857-3731
– 
Before & After Photos
Actual Patient. Individual results may vary from patient to patient.
Actual Patient. Individual results may vary from patient to patient.
Actual Patient. Individual results may vary from patient to patient.
Miami Sedation Dentistry with Dr. Ramon Bana
For some, just the thought of receiving dental treatment causes a feeling of extreme anxiety or overwhelming fear. These people tend to avoid visiting the dentist, which typically leads to a variety of dental issues that eventually require extensive care. Today, with the use of nitrous oxide and other forms of sedation, these individuals can feel comfortable enough to have their routine dental exams and cleanings. Staying up to date with biannual cleanings and exams can help prevent the onset of many unnecessary dental issues. At the office of Ramon Bana, DDS, patients with dental apprehension can receive nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas), an oral sedative or intravenous medication (aka twilight anesthesia, twilight sleep) to help them relax during treatment.
What Is Miami Sedation Dentistry?
Twilight sleep dentistry involves the use of medication to relax patients as they receive dental treatments or procedures. With twilight sleep, patients relax to the point that they essentially doze off, however, unlike with general anesthesia, if Dr. Ramon Bana needs to, he can still easily communicate with the patient.
Who Should Consider Sedation Dentistry in Miami?
Dr. Bana wants his patients to feel comfortable as they receive dental care. For this reason, a patient who feels any sense of anxiety about treatment should ask Dr. Ramon Bana about the benefits of nitrous oxide, oral sedatives and twilight anesthesia.
Patients frequently use nitrous oxide, oral sedatives or twilight anesthesia during:
- Professional dental cleanings.
- Dental restoration procedures.
- Scaling and root planing.
- Dental implant placement and other types of oral surgery.
- Emergency dental visits.
Dr. Bana has the training and credentials necessary to safely sedate his patients during treatment. Therefore, he encourages those who experience any form of dental apprehension, including dental anxiety, dental fear or dental phobia(aka dentophobia), to explore their anesthesia options.
Nitrous oxide and other methods of sedation are also useful for people who have:
- A gag reflex that is easily triggered.
- Dental apprehension.
- A low threshold for pain.
- A resistance to local anesthesia. Therefore, it neglects to numb the areas of the mouth receiving treatment.
- Difficulty remaining still while sitting in the dental chair.
- Extremely sensitive teeth.
- Difficulty controlling their body movements.
- Aichmophobia (i.e., a fear of needles).
- Special needs (e.g., physical, behavioral or cognitive).
As well as those who:
- Need to have an extensive amount of dental work (e.g., full-mouth restoration, oral surgery).
- Tend to feel claustrophobic while sitting in the dental chair.
How Common Is Dental Apprehension?
According to a study, The Prevalence of Dental Anxiety in Dental Practice Settings, that is published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, 19% of the 308 study participants experienced moderate to high levels of dental apprehension. However, the researchers do acknowledge that previous studies indicate dental apprehension affecting from 50%- 80% of the general population.
Understanding the Various Forms of Dental Apprehension
The intensity of apprehension an individual feels about going to the dentist determines whether he or she has dental anxiety, dental fear or dentophobia. Dr. Ramon Bana helps people with dental apprehension feel more comfortable about receiving treatment by administering nitrous oxide or using some other form of sedation during their procedure.
Dental Anxiety
When someone has dental anxiety, they may feel uneasy about visiting the dentist. These people may begin feeling stressed as they sit in the dental chair or while the dentist is looking inside their mouth. They may also worry that the dentist will find a problem requiring treatment.
Dental Fear and Dentophobia
Although dental fear and dentophobia are frequently used interchangeably, they each have their own distinct definitions.
Dental Fear
Dental fear refers to feeling a sense of apprehension about one aspect of dental care. For example, a patient may do well with a routine cleaning, but whenever the dentist needs to administer local anesthesia or tooth-drilling starts, the patient’s heart races.
Dentophobia
People who intensely fear the dentist and avoid having any dental care, whatsoever, have dentophobia. These people do not have their biannual exams and cleanings.
How To Recognize Dental Fear and Dentophobia
People experiencing dental fear and dentophobia can benefit greatly from sedation dentistry with Ramon Bana, DDS, in Miami.
Dental fear is a distressing emotion that an individual experiences due to the anticipation of impending pain (whether real or imagined).
Dentophobia is a persistent, intense, irrational fear of visiting the dentist. People with dentophobia may experience a variety of physical symptoms associated with their avoidance behavior.
Potential physical symptoms linked to dental phobia:
- Trembling.
- Shortness of breath.
- Sweating.
- An elevated heart rate.
Benefits of Receiving Twilight Anesthesia During a Miami Dental Appointment With Dr. Bana
Anesthesia allows patients to feel comfortable and remain calm during their dental visit. In addition, when a patient is in a twilight state, Dr. Ramon Bana can complete his or her procedure quicker.
Furthermore, patients who receive twilight anesthesia may be able to have multiple procedures performed during a single appointment, thus reducing the number of times they need to return to Dr. Bana’s Miami office for care.
When patients feel more comfortable during their office visits, they usually keep up with their professional exams and cleanings. Which means their oral health improves because Ramon Bana, DDS, can address any issues that arise right away. Thus, reducing the likelihood of a more severe dental problem developing.
Which Sedation Methods Does Dr. Bana Offer at His Office in Miami?
Dr. Ramon Bana offers his patients three types of anesthesia.
The three forms of anesthesia available at Dr. Bana’s Miami office are:
1. Nitrous Oxide (aka Laughing Gas)
This is a first-line option. Nitrous oxide is the most common type of anesthesia that Dr. Ramon Bana’s dental patients receive. Dr. Bana mixes the nitrous oxide gas with oxygen. He administers this type of anesthesia via a nasal mask. With only a few drops of nitrous oxide, patients feel relaxed, calm and sometimes, giggly.
General benefits of laughing gas:
- Takes effect right away.
- Decreases the patient’s fear and anxiety.
- Safe to use for the majority of patients.
- Exits the body quickly.
- Most adults can drive themselves home following their dental treatment.
How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?
Nitrous oxide can slightly decrease the amount of oxygen that flows to the muscles and brain. This slight decrease in oxygen stimulates the reward pathways in the patient’s brain, resulting in a feeling of euphoria. It is this euphoric feeling that causes some people to giggle while they are receiving nitrous oxide.
2. Oral Sedation
Before the dental treatment or procedure, Dr. Ramon Bana prescribes the patient a mild to moderate sedative. The patient takes this sedative orally about an hour before his or her dental appointment. The sedative makes the patient feel drowsy, which allows him or her to relax.
Some patients do fall asleep, but they can easily follow any directions they receive during treatment. Patients who take an oral sedative state that they do not remember much of their procedure.
Patients who use an oral sedative to relax while receiving dental care are unable to drive themselves home. Furthermore, patients who take the sedative at home, before arriving at Dr. Bana’s Miami office, must refrain from driving. Therefore, on the day of their dental treatment or procedure, these patients must bring a driver with them.
Benefits associated with oral sedation:
- Once the medication takes effect, any anxiety or fear a patient has is relieved.
- Administering this type of anesthesia is easy.
- Patients can receive multiple treatments during a single session, without feeling stressed.
-
IV Sedation (aka Intravenous Sedation)
This type of sedative is administered via an IV placed in the arm or the hand. Through the IV, the sedative enters directly into the bloodstream.
The benefits of receiving sedative medications in Miami via an IV:
- Begins to work directly upon entering the patient’s bloodstream. Thus, the medication that Dr. Ramon Bana administers via an IV quickly helps the patient relax.
- After the medication takes effect, the patient’s stress level decreases and fear subsides.
- For the most part, the patient is asleep. But it is a light sleep (i.e., twilight). Therefore, Dr. Bana can still communicate with the patient. For example, he may ask the patient to adjust his or her position.
Since the medication used for twilight anesthesia is administered via an IV, it remains in the system for some time following treatment. For this reason, these patients also need to bring a driver with them on the day of their procedure.
Following IV sedation, patients usually feel a bit groggy. Therefore, Dr. Ramon Bana suggests that they take the day off from work or school, so they can rest comfortably at home.
What Is a Local Anesthetic?
Despite the type of sedation a patient receives, he or she also needs a local anesthetic to numb the teeth and gums before treatment begins.
Local anesthesia helps prevent the discomfort and pain associated with the dental procedure or treatment the patient receives. Ramon Bana, DDS, administers local anesthesia via an injection. However, he does not administer the local anesthesia until the patient is comfortably sedated.
If a Patient Is Pregnant, Can She Still Receive Sedatives?
Since some sedatives can affect a fetus’ development, they are usually avoided during pregnancy. Nonetheless, sometimes, nitrous oxide is safe for use during the second trimester.
For the most part, Dr. Ramon Bana prefers that his patients wait until their baby is born to have dental procedures that require anesthesia.
Can Children Receive Anesthesia During Dental Treatments?
Yes. A child benefits from sedation dentistry when he or she is scared of receiving dental care. Additionally, when a child cannot, or is unable to cooperate with the dental professional, anesthesia may be recommended.
What Anesthesia Method Does Dr. Ramon Bana Use for Children in Miami?
For the most part, children receive nitrous oxide (aka laughing gas). However, if necessary, Ramon Bana, DDS, has the experience and credentials necessary to provide a child with an oral sedative.
An Initial Consultation for Sedation Dentistry in Miami
Patient safety is of the utmost importance. Therefore, during their consultation, patients need to provide Dr. Bana with a detailed account of their medical history. This history must include previous surgical procedures, allergies, current medical treatments, as well as medication and herbal supplement use.
In addition, Dr. Ramon Bana wants to know which dental treatment or procedure the patient needs (e.g., an exam and cleaning) or is considering (e.g., dental implants).
After reviewing the medical history and examining the patient’s mouth, Dr. Bana can determine whether the patient is a viable candidate for the procedure or treatment, as well as for sedation dentistry in Miami.
What Happens Before a Procedure With Sedation Dentistry in Miami?
Patients receiving oral or IV sedation should fast for at least six hours before their appointment.
Patients using an oral sedative need to take the medication with a small sip of water about an hour before their appointment.
On the day of their procedure, unless stated otherwise by Dr. Ramon Bana or one of his team members, patients should continue taking their routine medications with a small sip of water. That said, patients who take blood thinners (e.g., Warfarin) may need to hold off on taking it for several days leading up to their dental treatment or procedure.
What To Expect After a Dental Procedure Using a Sedative in Miami
Unless patients receive laughing gas, they must have a trustworthy friend or family member drive them home. Dr. Bana and his team want their patients to remain safe, which is why Dr. Ramon Bana’s office prohibits the use of for-hire transportation following oral and IV sedation.
Since it takes some time for the oral or intravenous sedation to wear off, patients should return home directly following their dental treatment or procedure. Ramon Bana, DDS, asks that the driver ensures the patient is resting comfortably before leaving him or her alone.
What Is the Recovery Time Following the Use of Sedatives?
Recovery time varies and is dependent upon the type of anesthesia a patient receives, as well as how his or her body responds to the medication Dr. Bana uses during the procedure.
Typically, people who receive laughing gas recover within 15 minutes to half an hour of their procedure. Those who receive oral or IV sedation usually need about 24 hours to fully recover.
When Can Patients Return To Work or School?
Patients who receive nitrous oxide can return to their normal activities directly upon leaving Dr. Ramon Bana’s office in Miami. Nevertheless, if a patient receives oral or IV sedatives, he or she needs to wait at least 24 hours before returning to school or work.
After Receiving a Sedative, When Is the Patient Able To Drive?
Following oral or intravenous sedation, patients must wait 24 hours before driving. Patients who only receive nitrous oxide can drive as soon as they leave Dr. Bana’s office.
How Long Does a Dental Patient Who Receives a Sedative Need To Wait Before Eating?
If possible, Ramon Bana, DDS, recommends that his patients refrain from eating and drinking until the local anesthesia wears off. Once the anesthesia wears off and the patient is ready to eat or drink, it is best to choose something light (e.g., clear liquids), slowly progressing to more substantial foods and beverages.
It is important to note that following some procedures and treatments, the patient must refrain from using straws. Patients who disregard this recommendation could experience unnecessary pain and require additional dental care.
Potential Side Effects Following Sedation Dentistry
As with the use of any medication, side effects are possible.
Typical side effects following the use of a sedative:
- Feeling groggy.
- A headache.
- Xerostomia (i.e., dry mouth).
- Bruising at the IV site.
Potential Side Effects for Children Receiving Nitrous Oxide or an Oral Sedative
Although receiving nitrous oxide and, when necessary, oral sedation at Dr. Ramon Bana’s state-of-the-art office in Miami is completely safe for children, Dr. Bana understands that parents may feel nervous about their child receiving an unfamiliar medication. Ramon Bana, DDS, helps parents feel more comfortable by answering their questions, discussing his experience and credentials, as well as by providing them with details about their child’s procedure.
Common side effects a child may experience following the use of nitrous oxide or an oral sedative:
- Snoring.
- Irritability.
These side effects usually subside within a day or two.
There are times when a child is slow to awaken following oral sedation. If this happens, for safety’s sake, Dr. Ramon Bana monitors the child until he or she is ready to head home.
Are There Any Risks Associated With Twilight Anesthesia in Miami?
When administered by an experienced dentist, twilight anesthesia is safe. Nonetheless, there are people who should speak with their general practitioner before receiving any type of sedative. These individuals include those with obstructive sleep apnea, as well as people who are obese.
Oral sedatives can cause an individual to have an allergic reaction. However, this issue can easily be rectified with a medication designed to counteract allergies.
Is There a Way To Reduce the Risks Associated With Sedation Dentistry?
Yes, people should choose a dentist who is qualified and has experience administering nitrous oxide, as well as oral and IV sedation.
What Warrants a Phone Call To Dr. Bana’s Office?
Although rare, if certain issues arise following treatment, the patient, or the parents of a child patient, need to contact Dr. Ramon Bana’s office at (305) 857-3731.
Contact Dr. Bana’s office if:
- Pain does not improve despite taking medication.
- The patient has a temperature higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 38 degree Celsius).
- The patient is nauseous or vomiting.
How Much Does Sedation Dentistry in Miami Cost?
The costs associated with nitrous oxide, oral sedatives and the administering of medications via an intravenous line depends on the specific needs of the patient. Therefore, to determine how much a dental procedure using anesthesia in Miami will cost, Dr. Ramon Bana must perform an initial consultation.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Sedation Dentistry?
There are times when dental insurance covers the use of anesthesia. Therefore, Dr. Bana encourages patients to contact their insurance company to find out if they have this benefit.
Reasons People Choose Ramon Bana, DDS
Dr. Bana’s experience, credentials, attention to detail and caring demeanor make him one of the top dentists in and around Miami. Furthermore, to provide each patient with the highest quality of care, Dr. Ramon Bana has a dedicated, caring team of professionals working by his side.
To ensure his patients are at ease during their dental procedures and treatments at his office in Miami, Ramon Bana, DDS, offers sedation dentistry. If you are in the Miami area and require dental care, with or without the use of sedatives, consider contacting his office. To schedule your appointment, please call (305) 857-3731. Dr. Bana’s office is located at 2461 Coral Way, in Miami.
Related Procedures