Do you know anyone who is fearful, or anxious to have dental procedures? Have you or anyone you know avoided going to the dentist from the fear of dentists? You are not alone!
According to studies, Dental Fear is second only to Public Speaking in the United States. Fear and anxiety end up causing most dental emergencies, which results in added costs and time off of work and school.
Most dental procedures are safer with sedation for patients with mild (controlled) High Blood Pressure, Coronary Artery Disease, and Asthma. Sedation can prevent White Coat Syndrome, prevent blood pressure spikes, reduce the amount of bleeding during the procedure.
At Blooming Family Dental, we are licensed and trained to offer various levels of Sedation including Nitrous Oxide, IV Sedation, and Oral Sedation.
About Sedation
The goal of sedation is to make your dental visit more pleasant by reducing anxiety, improving pain control, and inducing amnesia (forgetting about the office visit most of the time).
Sedation does not mean you will be sleeping. You will most likely forget about the appointment but during the appointment, you will be aware of the procedure.
Sedation Options
Several different options for sedation are available and customizable for each situation and patient. Different options may be combined to achieve the best experience for the patient.
- Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen (“Laughing Gas”)
- Oral Sedation (Pills swallowed or held under your tongue)
- Intravenous Sedation (IV Sedation, given through your arm vein)
Benefits
- Reduces anxiety, improves pain control, and induces amnesia (It’s rare, but you may have significant memory loss for up to 48 hours after the sedation).
- Ability to use less anesthesia (numbing) and finish the procedure quicker.
- Help monitor and control your blood pressure and heart rate.
- While extremely rare, IV sedation can help administer emergency medications.
- Less invasive and expensive than General Anesthesia.
Risks
- Dental sedation is extremely safe using well-researched and documented medications at low doses.
- Please help us further reduce the risk of sedation by providing a complete medical history and list of ALL medications, drugs, herbs, supplements, use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. You must let us know if you are pregnant or have glaucoma.
- We cannot guarantee sedative effects. Rarely, if sedation is not going smooth, or you are requiring unsafe doses of medications, we may stop the procedure and consider a different approach another day.
- Some other uncommon but well-recognized risks include:
- Nausea and vomiting during or after the procedure
- Deeper sedation than intended, possibly inducing paradoxical reactions
- Delayed recovery (may spend more time in recovery before leaving)
- Allergic reactions
- Ill effects on an unborn fetus. Please tell us if you are pregnant. Pregnant patients are NOT candidates for sedation.
- IV sedation: difficulty starting IV, bruising, phlebitis
- Extremely rare: possible serious damage to teeth or vital organs
Alternatives
- No sedation is always a choice. However, for longer procedures or more involved procedures, we strongly recommend sedation for your experience and safety.
- General Anesthesia with an anesthesiologist, either in our office or in the hospital. It is more expensive but may be required for the most anxious patient, or for patients with certain medical conditions.
Possible Changes to Your Treatment Plan Under Sedation
- We do our best to have the most predictable appointment under sedation. However, we may have to alter your treatment plan during your sedation for the best outcome.
- If there are foreseeable possible changes to the treatment plan, we will let you know.
- We will never change the treatment plan unless it’s in your best interest.
Follow Up Care
- Sedation can cause drowsiness, lack of awareness, and coordination. You need a responsible adult to drive you to and from the office. Driving or operating heavy machinery regardless of how ‘normal’ you feel after sedation for up to 24 hours is illegal and dangerous to not only yourself but to everyone else.
- Remember, if your memory is impaired, you may forget you turned on the stove or took medication. A responsible adult needs to monitor you for 24 hours following your visit.
Call us now at 973-475-8964 to request a no-obligation FREE SEDATION consultation.
Click here to book a FREE Sedation Consultation
We are always here to help. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
