Sedation Dentistry
The prospect of oral surgery can be intimidating for many patients and even anxiety-inducing for some. Fortunately, sedation can help you overcome the barrier of fear that discourages you from seeking treatment.
Pinnacle Oral Surgery offers different types of sedation, which will be suitable in different scenarios. Your oral surgeon will discuss the various options with you and make recommendations for the most appropriate delivery method in your case.
To learn more about sedation used at Pinnacle Oral Surgery, call our office and speak to one of our knowledgeable, friendly staff members. This approach may be able to help you access the care you need.
What are the benefits of sedation dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is recommended to help patients fall into a nearly sleep-like state. Some type of anti-anxiety medication is administered to the patient to achieve the desired level of sedation: mild, moderate or deep.
In addition to helping patients relax, the sedative drugs also have an amnestic effect, meaning that the patient will have no recollection of the procedure after the fact.
Furthermore, sedation alters the patient’s sense of the passage of time, making time seem to pass much more quickly than it actually does.
The many benefits of sedation dentistry can be useful to patients in a variety of situations.
What types of patients are candidates for sedation?
The most obvious candidate for sedation dentistry is the excessively fearful patient. By helping them relax deeply, sedation can help these patients undergo oral surgery that might otherwise induce significant anxiety.
However, skittish patients aren’t the only ones who should consider sedation. This approach can also help patients who:
- Are overly fidgety
- Are facing time-consuming or complex interventions
- Have a strong gag reflex
- Have highly sensitive teeth
- Have low pain tolerance
If you fall into any of these categories, be sure to talk to your oral surgeon about the possibility of sedation.
What are my sedation options?
Pinnacle Oral Surgery offers many different sedation methods, and we can achieve mild, moderate or deep sedation using these approaches, depending on the patient’s needs.
Nitrous oxide: A gaseous sedative that is inhaled through a mask
Oral sedation: Anti-anxiety medications taken in pill form
IV sedation: Sedatives delivered directly to the bloodstream
Keep in mind that with these forms of sedation, the patient actually remains conscious while under the effects of the medication. This is valuable because it means that the patient’s airway does not need to be maintained artificially and the patient remains able to respond to the surgeon’s commands.
We take significant steps to ensure the safety of patients who are choosing sedation. Patients are closely monitored while under sedation to make sure that there are no concerning changes to the vital signs.
How do I prepare for my appointment with sedation?
The preparation needed for sedation at your appointment will depend on the type of sedative being used.
- Nitrous oxide takes effect quickly and requires no advance preparation.
- Oral sedation requires the patient to take the pill before the appointment to give it time to take effect. Patients who choose oral sedation need to arrange to have someone drive them to the appointment and home afterward.
- IV sedation typically requires fasting for at least eight hours prior to your appointment time. With IV sedation, you will also need to make sure that someone is available to drive you home after the appointment.
There may be other considerations related to sedation in your case. Prior to your scheduled procedure, your oral surgeon will give you more detailed instructions about preparing for your appointment.