Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help you feel more calm and relaxed during your dental procedure. Sometimes called conscious sedation dentistry, you will experience forgetfulness and insensitivity to pain, all while still being conscious. Sedation dentistry can be used on patients of all ages.

There are a variety of reasons sedation may be requested or required for a dental procedure:

• Dental Anxiety
• Fear of visiting the dentist
• Overly sensitive gag reflex
• Phobia of needles
• Severe teeth sensitivity
• Claustrophobia
• Decreased sensitivity to local anesthesia
• Difficulty controlling body movements
• Physical, cognitive, or behavioral special needs

Types of Sedation

Your level of anxiety, length of your procedure, health history, and personal preferences will all be considered by your dentist before the procedure. Common types of sedation include:

• Inhalation sedation: Nitrous oxide sedation, or “laughing gas,” is one of the most common types of sedation. Though it doesn’t relieve pain very well, it’s a great anti-anxiety option. A mask is placed over your nose, which pumps out a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide. Inhaled sedation makes you feel light-headed and relaxed, but the effects wear off quickly after the procedure.
• Oral sedation: Your dentist will give you a sedative medication in the form of a pill or liquid about an hour before your procedure begins. The most common medications include triazolam, diazepam, zaleplon, lorazepam, or midazolam oral syrup. Liquid sedation is more often used in pediatric dentistry. Even though oral sedation makes you feel very groggy and sleepy, you’ll still be able to communicate with your dentist. Once the procedure is finished, you will need someone to drive you home since oral sedation affects memory and motor skills.
• Intravenous (IV) sedation: Out of the different types of sedation offered in a dental office setting, IV sedation is the deepest a patient can go while still maintaining some consciousness. The medication is administered directly into your bloodstream through an IV line, much like if you were in the hospital getting fluids. Throughout the procedure, your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels will be monitored closely so that the dosage of medication can be adjusted as necessary. Most patients fall asleep with IV sedation and rarely remember treatment when they wake up. This is the best option for those undergoing a lengthy dental procedure or those who suffer from severe dental anxiety. The effects of IV sedation may take several hours to completely wear off, so you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

What if you could have all your dentistry that you have been putting off for years in the conventional dental office in one or two comfortable visits?

What if you could finally receive all of the treatment while sleeping- free of fear and pain?

We specialize in Sedation Dentistry and Sleep Dentistry, treating people with dental phobias and anxieties We offer different types of sedation dentistry. These include administering oral sedation, a pill, and intravenous sedation to deliver a combination of drugs. All this depends on the needs of the patient.

In this way, the patient and the dentist are comfortable providing and receiving the best possible dental care and are free of stress and pain.

What is Sedation Dentistry or Sleep Dentistry?

The patient is given oral medication about one hour before the appointment. The medicine puts you in a light state of sedation, and you sleep thru your dental appointment. It is Safe! When you awaken, your dental treatment is completed.

You need someone to drive you to and from your appointment. Once you arrive, you are allowed to rest comfortably in a warm, quiet room under a cozy blanket. During the entire time you are here, we will closely monitor you to ensure your safety.

Complex dental treatments that often require six or more appointments can be done in as little as one!

All while you sleep.

Anxiolysis

Anxiolysis is a form of oral sedation using a light sedative, such as valium. It is not as strong as oral conscious sedation, so it is recommended for those with mild to moderate anxiety. You will remain conscious of the procedure, but any tension and anxiety will fade away. You will be able to talk and breathe on your own during the procedure as well. What can be a nerve-racking experience for some is morphed into a relaxing experience.

After the procedure, you will even be able to drive yourself home since anxiolysis uses a light sedative. If you have been fretting about having dental work done, call us to learn about our anxiety-free options for dentistry.