How does being sedated for dental care work?

Easier procedure: Dental work is stressing since the mouth is a narrow space and very sensitive. It can help for both dentist and patient in order to shorten the length and discomfort of the procedure.

IV sedation or oral: Oral sedation generally means you are given a sedating pill in combination with laughing gas. Iv (or conscious) sedation requires the dentist to start an IV and titrate agents where you experience a twilight sleep. Depending upon the level of training, some patients are put under deep sedation, where you actually are sleeping heavily. You will maintain bodily reflexes such as cough.

It works well: 4 ways to get sedated. 1. Nitrous oxide also known as laughing gas. This is really only antianxiety agent. 2. Nucalm- a way to fake your body into sleep mode-also antianxiety method. 3. Oral sedation- pills given to obtain a mild sedative and amnesic state. 4. Iv sedation-mild to moderate conscious sedation and amnesia. Best if a lot of dental care is needed over a short period of time.

Lots of options.: There are many options from mild to wild: "laughing gas, " oral sedatives or IV sedation all work & are readily available (i offer all of these to patients depending on their anxiety and the procedures being performed). Any option will include numbing of the teeth, some help you sleep or forget the whole procedure. Assess your level of anxiety with your dentist & plan an option that works for you.

Simple: A medical anesthesiologist inserts an IV into your arm and gives a combination of three drugs which puts you into a "twilight sleep".This is a very relaxed state whereby the dentist can complete his work without you being apprehensive or jumpy. This sedation also has an amnesiac quality to it so you do not remember the procedure. It a win win.

Comfortably: Sedation is either with i've or oral meds. Either way is more comfortable but more expensive and with possible complications. Be sure to ask what the contraindications are.

Helps many: A sedated patient is more relaxed , calm and gets a lot more treatment done in fewer visits