Sedation Dentistry

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry may be the answer for many patients who have difficulty going to the dentist. Studies show that 30% of the population avoids the dentist due to fear. Sedation dentistry provides a safe and comfortable experience allowing you to get the care you need and the healthy smile you want. With oral sedation, medications can be given as either pills or liquids to achieve the right level of relaxation for almost any dental procedure.

Who can benefit from Oral Conscious Sedation?

• Patients with anxiety. Whether due to a previous traumatic experience or a dental phobia, many reasonable, intelligent, and health-conscious individuals avoid dental care. Oral sedation allows you to become comfortably relaxed making your dental experience easier than you ever imagined.
  
• Patients who suffer from acute or chronic jaw soreness. Many patients find dental appointments uncomfortable due to the pain of keeping their mouth open. Sedation medications also have muscle relaxation properties. By combining the benefits of oral conscious sedation with frequent resting time, even patients who suffer from chronic jaw soreness are able to handle long appointments with little or no discomfort.
  
• Patients who have a severe gag reflex. The medications used for oral conscious sedation remove the tendency to gag. Patients who could not handle having anything in their mouths, find they are able to have all kinds of dental care without the discomfort or embarrassment of gagging.
  
• Patients who have difficulty getting numb. With the newer local anesthetics, it is easier than ever to get even the most difficult mouths numb. Even so, there are some patients who have difficulty achieving complete numbness for their dental treatment. The use of Oral Conscious sedation makes getting numb much easier. This effect has been reliably observed literally thousands of times by many sedation dentists.

How does Oral Conscious Sedation work?

The medication type and amount is individually tailored to each patient. After a complete exam, health assessment, and a discussion of the level of sedation desired, appropriate oral medications are prescribed. Typically, a longer acting medication is taken the night before the appointment allowing for a peaceful sleep, followed by a shorter acting medication one hour before your appointment. When you arrive at the office, you will be assessed for level of relaxation and additional medication will be administered to achieve the desired level of sedation.

What can I expect after the appointment?

After the appointment you will feel tired and often sleep for several hours. It is necessary for you to have another adult drive you to and from your appointment and stay with you for the rest of the day.

How safe is Oral Conscious Sedation?

There has never been a documented report of a serious adverse incident (mortality or serious morbidity) due to the use of oral sedation in adults. DOCS (Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation) members alone have completed an estimated 1,000,000 successful sedation procedures over the past six years. To maintain this level of safety, all patients are monitored for blood pressure and oxygen levels with an instrument called a pulse oximeter.

Will insurance pay for Oral Conscious Sedation?

Unfortunately, insurance companies currently do not cover sedation for dentistry, but we believe insurance companies should not dictate the level of care you receive. We will always do all we can to maximize your benefits without compromising your care.

What other ways can appointments be made more comfortable?

We understand that few people find the dental office one of their favorite places to be. For this reason we continue to look for ways to make our patients’ visits more comfortable. We have found it is the little things that make the big differences. Some of these little things include:

• Giving you total control. We always stop whenever you need us to - for any reason.
  
• Using a light touch. We have found that a smooth light touch makes dental treatment much easier.
  
• Having no surprises. We answer all your questions and discuss how you like to be treated so we can meet your specific concerns.
  
• Offering a blanket for warmth. The treatment rooms are often cool so a blanket can make a big difference.
  
• Blocking the sounds with headphones. You can bring your favorite CD or choose from our collection.
  

Finally, and most importantly, our entire team cares about you and wants to earn your trust. As we develop a relationship based on trust and respect, it leads to a more comfortable and enjoyable environment for everyone.