Author: PV Smiles Reem Kidess | Posted on with comments
What if you could go to the dentist without fear of pain and feel comfortable during oral surgery? Does the sight of the Novocain shot paralyze you from scheduling your appointment for necessary dental work? Whether you have upcoming root canal therapy, wisdom teeth extraction, or implant surgery, IV sedation for dental treatment and oral surgery can remove the worry and provide the solution to get your smile back, but this time without pain.
Sedation dentists have many anxiety-reducing options, making treatment more accessible than ever to those who would rather avoid the dental chair. However, for too many, the thought of experiencing more pain at the dentist to remedy the condition can be enough to keep a person home instead of seeking relief.
What is IV Sedation?
IV sedation involves medication administered through an intravenous port directly into your vein. The effects of IV-administered medicine work much faster than oral medication, which must first be absorbed through the digestive system before entering the bloodstream. IV-administered medicine immediately enters the bloodstream. The effects of IV sedation medicine can be felt within a minute or two. The dosage can be adjusted as needed throughout the entire procedure. Unlike oral medication, which takes time and cannot be reversed quickly, the IV sedation technique gives the dentist enormous control over your medication levels and comfort.
What Does Oral Surgery Sedation Feel Like?
Unlike general anesthesia, where you are rendered completely unconscious, oral surgery sedation only induces a depressed state of consciousness. Your ability to respond will depend on the level of sedation used for you by your dentist. Mild sedation may put you into just enough of a relaxed state to relieve you of your anxiety, though you are still fully awake. A moderate level of sedation, sometimes called “conscious sedation” or “twilight sleep,” will place you somewhere between fully awake and fully asleep. You’ll be able to hear what’s going on and respond to commands from your dental team, but you will likely not be completely aware of your surroundings and have no memory of the event. Under a deep level of sedation, you may feel sleepy enough to fall asleep, but you’ll still be responsive if the dentist needs to give you directions.
Will the Procedure Be Remembered?
The short answer is usually not. With IV sedation for oral surgery, you won’t remember details. While you still have consciousness during the procedure, the medication will often have an amnesia effect meaning you will not remember anything. Even if you remember some of what happened immediately after your procedure, you’ll remember less and less of the details.
Related Post: How Can IV Sedation Dentistry Improve Your Dental Experience?
How Fast Does the Medication Wear Off After the Procedure?
The effects of IV sedation for oral surgery start to wear off as soon as the flow of medication stops, but that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. After being under conscious sedation, you mustn’t operate heavy machinery immediately or sign any legal documents within 24 hours. Your dentist will have specific instructions for you depending on the medication or cocktail of medication used. In addition, the medication often affects your short-term memory and will impair your decision-making ability. If you have a procedure such as oral surgery that will implement IV sedatives, arrange for a ride to and from the dental office and plan to rest at home for the remainder of the day.
Related page: Dental Surgery
Is IV Sedation a Good Option for Me?
As with any medication or procedure, it is critical to disclose your health history to your dentist honestly. Disclosure will be important to determine whether IV sedation is a safe and appropriate option for you. Along with gathering a health history at your pre-op appointment, your dentist will also review the procedure with you and discuss the different options available. Even if your dentist determines that IV sedation is not a good option, they will still provide you with other options to consider. Those options may include oral sedation medications, inhalation treatment (nitrous oxide – “laughing gas”), or any number of other anxiety-reducing techniques.
Does Every Dentist Offer IV Sedation for Oral Surgery?
Not every dentist can offer IV sedation. Sedation dentists must be specially trained to administer IVs before being able to provide this option to their patients. Many dentists may only be able to offer their patients a few options to help with dental anxiety.
PV Smiles is proud to serve the Paradise Valley and greater Scottsdale, AZ area, providing a high level of compassionate services to the community. If you’ve held off on oral surgery or other dental procedures due to anxiety or fear of pain, there’s no better time than the present. Contact our compassionate team of dental professionals for a virtual consultation to see what Dr. Kidess can do for you. You’ll have your smile back in no time and pain-free!
