Sleep/Sedation Dentistry

Many people are afraid or uncomfortable going to the dentist. Sedation dentistry offers pain-free and anxiety-free dental procedures for patients who fear dental procedures, fear needles, have difficulty with their gag reflex, have very sensitive teeth or have difficulty becoming numb from oral injections. It also provides an opportunity to perform multiple or lengthy dental procedures in a single session.

Sedation dentistry requires that the patient take a prescribed medication about one hour before the scheduled visit. The patient will arrive at the dentist in a deeply relaxed state, though fully responsive. During the procedure, patients aren't unconscious, but mentally "detached" from what's going on. The sedative usually lasts about six hours and the patient will need a ride to and from the dental appointment.

Other types of conscious sedation include inhalation and intravenous sedation. Inhalation sedation (nitrous oxide oxygen, otherwise known as laughing gas) is the most common sedation technique. Patients recover more quickly and may leave the dental office alone and immediately resume normal activities. Intravenous conscious sedation is also a safe sedation technique. Patients will not remember any of the procedure and will feel as though they were asleep, even though they were wide-awake throughout. Intravenous sedation requires the patient be monitored for blood pressure, breathing and heart rate. Patients may only leave the office with an escort.

If you fear dental procedures, then sedation dentistry may be the no-pain, low-anxiety dental alternative you desire.