Sedation Dentistry

Who is a candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

The Sedation Dental Care Standard

The standard of treating patients using sedation was set by physicians in the U.S. approximately 40 years ago . It is nothing new for patients to be sedated for operations on knees, feet, wrists, ears, noses, or practically anything else. Even patients who need an MRI and are nervous, ask to be sedated. Often patients ask dentists for sedation and the dentists do everything they can to talk them out of it. Most dentists do not want to go through the additional training and accreditation process that is necessary to sedate patients.

You wouldn't think of having an ear operation or a nose operation without sedation. But, you move one inch to the teeth and it becomes acceptable to endure time-consuming, strenuous, noisy, and uncomfortable procedures on the most sensitive, personal part of the body (the mouth) with no sedation. Dentists attempt to work outside of the already established standard of using sedation. As a result, we as dentists treat only 50% of the population while physicians treat over 90%.

I have found that fearful patients psychologically have no problem being sedated for dental treatment. You ask a nervous patient, "Would you rather have this work done in six appointments over the next two months or in one appointment while you feel like you are sleeping?", and they look at you like you're crazy. "Sedate me," is their reply.

Sedation for certain types of dental care has been used for over thirty years. If you asked one hundred patients who have had their wisdom teeth removed how they had it done, most would say they were put to sleep by an oral surgeon to have them removed. The problem is that dentists assume that root canals and drilling on teeth is not uncomfortable enough to warrant sedation. This is why 50% of the population does not go to the dentist. The patient is the one who should determine what is uncomfortable for them, not the dentist.

If you feel that sedation, which is the standard of care for the rest of the body, is necessary for your dental care, call us.

Type of Sedation

We offer different types of sedation: Nitrous Oxide and Oral sedation (pill) for several reasons:

1. Many of our patients are needle-phobic so for those we have the pill form of sedation.
2.  With conscious sedation we can work on patients for a longer period of time.
3.  Conscious sedation is very safe.

How You Will Feel

Our patients' perception of this sedation technique is they feel that they have slept through the appointment. We most commonly hear, "I remember being sedated and the next thing I remember is waking up with my teeth fixed." Most patients remember nothing about their treatment. A few will remember a little, usually at the end of the appointment when we are getting them ready to go home. You will need someone to bring you to our office on the day of your sedation appointment and you MUST have someone take you home afterwards.

Safety

Conscious sedation is very safe. We have full control over your sedation state while receiving your dental treatment. Your vital signs are monitored continuously.

Decision

The only thing standing between you and getting the dental care you want is a call away.

Schedule an Appointment Today!