One of the unique services we are able to offer at Oak Street Dental in Central Point, Oregon, is IV sedation dentistry, or sleep dentistry. Sedation has a wide range of dental applications, but there are naturally many questions that patients have. Here are a few of the more common. If you have questions that are not addressed here, feel free to reach out and ask!
Sedation dentistry or sleep dentistry is the application of anesthetics to put a dental patient to “sleep” during the course of a dental procedure. This technique is often used in the course of major dental treatments, but can be used in the course of more “normal” appointments if determined helpful for the well-being of the patient.
To ensure the safety and efficacy of the procedure, the drugs used in the course of IV sedation dentistry are always administered by a trained, certified anesthetist.
There are three primary uses for sedation dentistry:
Sedation dentistry or sleep dentistry involves a high level of planning and communication between patients and providers. Each sedation plan is tailored to the patient’s unique medical needs and the procedure they are undergoing.
Your anesthetist will be in touch with you before your appointment to go over what to expect and remind you of what you’ll need to do to ensure a successful appointment such as:
During the appointment, you are “asleep” – the next thing you know, you’ll be ready to head home with your arranged driver.
Your dentist is the best resource for managing your pain after the appointment.
For additional questions or concerns, please contact us!
Not much! For the most part, all that our sleep dentistry patients remember is coming into the office and being prepared for the procedure. The last thing in your memory will likely be counting backwards. Then you’re done with your procedure and being driven home.
You may be a bit groggy after the procedure, but you will be able to sleep that off quickly. It may be a good time for those who love you to ask you questions and get your answers on video 😉
Absolutely. Sedation is generally safe for everyone. Our team is always sure to go through each of our patient’s medical history with them to ensure that sedation dentistry is going to be safe and effective.
Risks are minimal, and are always fully explained to our patients based on their specific history and needs. Sedation is very safe and allows us to perform even general dental procedures in ways that would be otherwise very difficult, especially for people with anxiety over their trip to the dentist. The benefits of sedation far outweigh the risks.
Costs are reasonable and will vary based on your insurance coverage. The easiest way to determine what your actual costs will be is to request our office to work with your insurance company directly to determine pricing before your procedure.
When sleep dentistry is performed properly, you will neither feel nor remember any part of your procedure.
In a normal appointment done with the help of IV sedation, there is no other anesthetic needed. The sedation allows patients to relax and get a thorough cleaning without the apprehension that may go along with being in the dentist’s chair – or even being conscious of it.
For more involved procedures, IV sedation may be used in conjunction with local anesthetic to numb pain both during and after the procedure is over. Normal pain medicines may be used in the hours and days following your appointment as directed by your dentist.
The time it takes for sedation to wear off will depend on a person’s individual response to sedation, the kinds of drugs used, and the amount of time spent under sedation. Many effects will wear off within 30 minutes after coming out of sedation. During this time, your anesthesiologist and dentist will ensure that you are responding well to the transition.
After the brief period of adjustment, you will be able to go home with the person you have arranged to drive you. Patients may want to plan some time after the appointment to nap off any feeling of grogginess, and it is a good idea to have someone stay with you until you are fully restored (which can be as long as 24 hours).
IV sedation, while not permitting patients to remember their procedure, does not put them quite as far under as in the case of general anesthesia. In other words, with IV sedation, you are not truly unconscious (as with general anesthesia). This makes the after-effects easier to deal with, reduces risks that can be associated with general anesthesia, and can allow patients to respond to basic physical stimuli – which is helpful in a dental appointment scenario.
Your sleep dentistry team will give you specific recommendations, however, there will certainly be a time before your appointment in which you will not be allowed to eat or drink (even water). If you do eat or drink within this time period, your appointment will need to be rescheduled. This requirement is for your safety.
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