IV Sedation Dentistry Q&A

Overview of IV Sedation Dentistry from a Certified RN Anesthetist

Here are responses to some of Main St Dental’s IV sedation dentistry frequently asked questions. If you have any further questions or for quick help, please call our offices.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation or sleep dentistry is the application of anesthetics to not only numb pain but put a dental patient “to sleep” during the course of a dental procedure.

What is the Purpose of IV Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is helpful for people who experience high levels of anxiety when they visit the dentist. Anesthetics allow a patient to sit through dental procedures and enable dentists to do everything they need to do for the oral health of their patient.

Sedation dentistry is also useful when patients have a lot of dental work that needs to be taken care of, allowing more to be done in a single visit. This means fewer trips to the dentist, perhaps fewer insurance payments, and overall reduced healing time.

Does the Dentist Administer the Anesthetics?

Sleep dentistry requires the involvement of a specifically trained and certified anesthetist, whose profession is the administering of anesthesia.

What does a Sedation Dentistry Visit Look Like?

At Main St Dental Gresham, you will receive a call from our on-staff anesthetist the day before to go over the plan tailored to your medical needs and the procedure you’ll be undergoing. This is a great time to ask any additional questions you may have. You will be reminded not to eat or drink anything for 8 hours prior to the procedure.

During the appointment, the anesthetist will help you relax as they safely put you under. You wake up when the procedure is done. You’ll be a bit groggy for about an hour and need to have an adult accompany you home.

While at home, you will be able to take pain medications as advised by your dentist.

If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask!

Other IV Sedation Dentistry Topics

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Why Sedation Dentistry?

For many people, the thought of visiting the dentist – even just for a checkup – fills them with fear. In more severe cases, an upcoming visit can induce a panic attack. We are always searching for ways to reduce the fear of visiting the dentist or at least make each appointment less stressful.

Sedation dentistry (also known as sleep dentistry) is a great option for people who have a fear of the dentist. Sedation dentistry aims to provide a relaxing and anxiety-free experience for anyone visiting our office. Over the years, sedation dentistry has enabled hundreds of our patients to benefit from much-needed dental treatment which they would have been too scared to undertake without it.

Fear of the dentist is a huge problem, according to the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation, which estimates that about 30 percent of the population actively avoids a trip to the dentist due to fear. Long-term, this fear can cause them significant dental problems.

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation is not by itself a dental treatment. Rather, it helps to facilitate treatment by helping a patient remain relaxed and in a calm state of mind. This is achieved with the use of sedative drugs. These are drugs such as tranquilizers and nitrous oxide. Traditionally, dentists would administer these intravenously, but as medicine has developed, there are now no-needle options that many patients prefer.

Sedation dentistry is not merely giving you painkillers. Sedatives help you to be calm and not overwhelmed by what you are experiencing.

Sedation dentistry also does not necessarily mean you will be unconscious. While some dental procedures require the use of general anesthesia, lesser degrees or different types of sedative can be used which will allow you to participate somewhat in your visit, so you can still stick your tongue out, say ahh, and so on.

Finally, sedation dentistry is not something which is merely for “big” procedures. Sedation can help someone even get through that teeth cleaning they’ve been dreading.

What Are the Benefits of Sedation Dentistry?

Through sedation dentistry, patients are better able to cope with coming to see us. There can be a good deal of stress and fear that come with seeing the dentist, and sedation dentistry is a great solution to that problem.

Having tried sedation dentistry, the most significant benefit is often that patients are less scared of visiting the dentist and thus visit more regularly. Therefore they are less likely to neglect their oral health, which prevents them from getting to the point where more severe dental treatments are required, not to mention avoiding oral pain.

If you have been putting off a visit to the dentist due to fear or anxiety, call us today ask about our sedation dentistry. You can also send us an email. Your oral health is important. Don’t let fear prevent you from taking care of the teeth you’ve been given.

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How Sedation Dentistry Can Help You Overcome Dental Anxiety

Anxiety can spike inside of a person at the simple mention of the word “dentist.” For whatever reason, some people have a terrible phobia of getting any sort of dental work done. It’s normal to have a little concern about an upcoming dental visit. Sitting back in a chair with your mouth open for a long time can be uncomfortable. Sometimes more serious work is needed that involves scraping, cutting, and, God forbid, drilling. For some people, the anxiety over seeing the dentist becomes too much. It overpowers them, and they put off regular checkups at all costs. Pioneering dentists have come up with a solution to help people who struggle with severe anxiety tied to visits called sedation dentistry. Here’s some information on what it is and why some dentists believe it’s the best solution to dentistry-related stress.

Nitrous Oxide for Minor Anxiety

Nitrous Oxide is sometimes referred to as laughing gas because it can cause patients to enter a euphoric state. Dentists use nitrous oxide to take the edge off patients dealing with minor to moderate levels of anxiety over their visit. Typically, dentists will administer the nitrous oxide before procedures which require a shot of local anesthetic. Some patients dread the thought of a needle being poked into their gums. The nitrous makes it, so patients don’t feel a thing. Patients remain awake on nitrous oxide, and it wears off quickly. Some dentists also opt for oral sedatives to calm patients. Upon entering a dentist’s office, they’ll offer up a pill and wait for the medicine to take effect before beginning any work.

General Anesthesia for Major Anxiety

For whatever reason, some people simply cannot overcome their fear of dental work. It makes it hard for them even to walk into a dentist’s office. Patients know that neglecting to see a dentist due to anxiety can have long-term negative ramifications on their teeth. Preventative dental care is the best way to avoid significant pain and high dental repair costs. General anesthesia, which essentially puts people to sleep for the procedure, is a good solution for struggling patients. Under general anesthesia, patients feel no discomfort or pain, and they’re all finished by the time they regain consciousness. Some patients fear being put under general anesthesia, so dentists may opt to first administer an oral sedative to calm them down.

Whether dental anxiety stems from a past bad experience or some other deeply rooted fear, there are solutions to help. Dentists are aware that people battle with anxiety before and during dental visits and are constantly reviewing practices and medical care procedures to lessen anxiety and its effects. Using sedation dentistry often helps lessen anxiety in patients over time. They see that dental work is something they can survive. If you struggle with dental anxiety, talk to your dentist as soon as possible about these solutions. They can ease the pain of the dental experience and help you get the care for your teeth you need.

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Other Q&A

Does IV Sedation Dentistry Hurt?

When sleep dentistry is performed correctly under the supervision your dental care providers, you will neither feel nor remember any part of your procedure.

With the help of IV sedation, there is no other anesthetic needed to help with a general dental appointment. Intravenous sedation allows patients to relax and get a thorough cleaning without the apprehension that may go along with being in the dentist’s chair – or even being conscious of it.

For more involved procedures, IV sedation may be used in conjunction with local anesthetic to numb pain both during and after the procedure is over. Normal pain medicines may be used in the hours and days following your appointment as directed by your dentist.

How Long Does Sedation Take to Wear Off?

The time it takes for sedation to wear off will depend on a person’s individual response to sedation, the kinds of drugs used, and the amount of time spent under sedation. Many effects will wear off within 30 minutes after coming out of sedation. During this time, your anesthesiologist and dentist will ensure that you are responding well to the transition.

After a brief period of adjustment, you will be able to go home with the person you have arranged to drive you. Patients may want to plan some time after their procedure to nap off any feeling of grogginess, and it is a good idea to have someone with you until you are fully back to normal (which can be as long as 24 hours).

Is IV Sedation Different than General Anesthesia?

With IV sedation, you are not truly unconscious as is the case with general anesthesia. This makes the after-effects easier to deal with, reduces the risks that can be associated with general anesthesia, and allows patients to respond to basic physical stimuli – which is helpful in a dental appointment scenario.

Can You Eat or Drink Before a Sleep Dentistry Appointment?

The team at Main St Dental Gresham will give you specific recommendations, however, there will certainly be a time before your appointment in which you will not be allowed to eat or drink (even water). If you do eat or drink within this time period, your appointment will need to be rescheduled for your safety.

If you have other questions or would like to schedule your sleep dentistry appointment…