What is IV Sedation Dentistry?

It is normal to experience some anxiety or concern about visiting the dentist, but for some people (potentially as high as 15% of people living in the United States), this concern is so high they avoid scheduling regular examinations or dental procedures all together. This concern may be the result of an early and traumatic childhood experience at the dentist, a consequence of being claustrophobic, or an irrational fear of needles. People with dental phobia can display a number of physical responses at even the thought of scheduling an appointment, including visible signs of distress, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, and even fainting.

While this type of anxiety is common and completely understandable, the unfortunate consequence is that people end up compromising their oral health, which then leads to them needing procedures that are much more costly and require more visits. They also increase their risk of developing other oral and physical health issues. If you have severe dental phobia or require a more intensive surgical procedure, you may benefit from IV sedation, a heavy form of sedation delivered through your vein by a board-certified periodontist.

IV Sedation Process

Prior to receiving IV sedation, it is recommended that you do not eat or drink for at least four hours leading up to the procedure. Be sure that you share any preferences you have regarding whether the procedure should be scheduled as early as possible or later in the day at your initial examination. During this visit, your periodontist will also review your medical and oral health history to see if you are a candidate for IV sedation. If there have been any significant changes to your overall health or new medications you are taking, share this information, as it may be necessary to avoid taking certain medications prior to the procedure.

Provided you are in good general health, have significant dental phobia, and are not at an increased risk of experiencing side effects, IV sedation may be recommended. Because there are increased side effects and risk to this type of sedation, other sedation options like oral sedation or Nitrous Oxide may also be recommended.

Conscious IV sedation is administered through your vein, and while it will not result in you going to sleep completely, it will put you in a state of mind where you are less aware of what is happening around you while the procedure is being performed. The effects will kick in very quickly and has a long amnesia period, which means you will most likely have no memory of the procedure being performed. An additional benefit to IV sedation is that it can be continuously adjusted to provide you with the optimum level of sedation. Once the procedure is complete, the effects of IV sedation will last for some time, which means you will need to arrange for someone to drive you home following the procedure. It also highly recommended that you clear any physical or work responsibilities until the following day.

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