Sleep Sedation (IV)
Our team of dental experts believes that every patient deserves to be relaxed and comfortable when receiving dental care. So, we offer sleep sedation for a many procedures including root canals and our pediatric dentistry services.
Sleep sedation may be a viable option for your dental treatment if you:
Are not numbed easily from local anesthetics
Want to sleep through your dental visit
Are nervous about dental treatment
Have an easily triggered gag reflex
Fear dental visits
Require a lot of work in a single visit
Haven’t been to the dentist in a long time
Sleep sedation is a commonly used method for sedation dentistry. In this procedure at least three liters of oxygen per minute titrate slowly with a general anesthetic until the patient is sedated to the point of no memory and has no fear. The patient then falls into a verbally arousable state of light sleep known as twilight sleep. This type of sleep is not true unconsciousness, but rather an amnesiac state where the patient experiences a highly reduced sensitivity to pain. The pulse rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiration rate are all monitored closely during & after the procedure to ensure the safety of the patient.
Sleep sedation is one of the most effective techniques in relieving dental anxiety for patients and is administered intravenously. It is the preferred method for many patients and is administered directly into the arm to provide rapid sedation.
Pros of IV Sleep Sedation:
Patients have little memory of the procedure
Rapid onset
IV is a deeper sedation than oral or inhaled sedatives
Gag reflex is greatly diminished
Dosage is measured to exact specification of individual
Great for bypassing dental anxiety
Unwanted reactions to the drug can be quickly & easily reversed
Cons of IV Sleep Sedation:
Cannot drive home by yourself
Site of injection can become infected
More expensive procedure