Sedation dentistry can be the perfect treatment for patients who experience dental anxiety or fear. Dr. Karim Naguib and the professional team at Premier Dental Care want patients to feel welcome and relaxed.
during their general dentistry office visits. Dr. Naguib works with patients individually to determine how to best address their oral health needs. He discusses your medical history, dental care experiences, and goals before treatment.
The Different Levels of Sedation
Dental sedatives can provide minimal to deep sedation. Dentists use three main levels of sedation:
- Mild Sedation: Minimal sedation ensures that you stay relaxed. However, you are still conscious and can communicate with your dentist under minimal sedation. This level of sedation does not affect your heart or breathing.
- Moderate Sedation: You may feel sleepier under moderate sedation. While you may be aware, you may forget your dental procedure under this type of sedation. You can also respond to commands or touch under this sedation.
- Deep Sedation: This sedation is also known as twilight sleep. You are on the edge of unconsciousness and will not respond until the dentist removes the sedative.
- General Anesthesia: Under general anesthesia, you are completely unconscious. You do not move or feel pain under this level of sedation.
What are the Benefits of Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry can benefit patients who want to feel relaxed during treatment. Dental sedation provides:
- Pain-free dental care
- Anxiety relief
- Quicker treatment
- Reduced gag reflex
We commonly offer sedation for patients with dental anxiety. However, sedation can benefit many other patients. People with disabilities, special needs, or movement impairments may struggle to get routine dental care.
Tics or movements can cause the dentist to struggle with treatment. We don’t want patients to get hurt. Sedation helps to ease these involuntary movements for safer, faster treatment.
If you have a gag reflex, it can actively fight the dentist trying to give you treatment. A gag reflex also causes severe discomfort and may make you avoid dental care altogether. Sedation helps to relax this reflex to provide effective and efficient treatment.
Lastly, dental anxiety makes it more likely for people to avoid dental care. However, this leads to more extensive dental problems that may need more intensive care. Sedation is ideal for patients who need multiple dental treatments in one visit. Even if you don’t have dental anxiety, sedation allows further comfort for you throughout your procedure.
Sedation Dentistry Treatment Options
Depending on the patient’s preference, sedation dentistry offers various options ranging from patients being asleep to those who remain conscious during the procedure.
IV Sedation
Dr. Naguib works with an anesthesiologist to provide IV sedation in the comfort of our dental office. An IV administers anti-anxiety medication through the bloodstream. This type of sedation takes effect immediately so you can rest comfortably during your procedure.
IV sedation also benefits patients who require multiple dental procedures or restorative care with dental implants. Implant surgery can be a lengthy process, especially if patients have more than one missing tooth.
Under intravenous sedation, patients feel deeply relaxed and calm. In combination with other sedation methods, patients can also fall asleep during their procedure. Many patients wake up with no memory of their treatment.
Oral Conscious Sedation
You take oral conscious sedation as a pill several hours before your scheduled procedure. As the anti-anxiety medication takes effect, you will feel completely relaxed. You will remain alert and responsive during treatment. However, you will not feel pain from your procedure. Because it takes time for oral conscious sedation to take effect, you need a ride to and from your dental procedure.
Dental Sedation Complications
Before we recommend sedation, we will review your medications and medical conditions. These conditions can impact sedation:
- Sleep apnea
- Respiratory problems
- Obesity
- Allergies to anti-anxiety medications
Because sedation can slow down your breathing, it can lead to problems in patients with sleep apnea. Patients with a narrow upper airway and breathing problems can find it hard to breathe under sedation. Some patients may also be allergic to our oral conscious sedation medicine. We will ask if you have any allergies before we plan treatment.
Sedation Dentistry FAQs
Learn more about dental sedation with answers to these common questions:
How long does dental sedation take to wear off?
After receiving oral sedation, you may feel “out of it” for up to 24 hours post-procedure. Sleep or rest after sedation to help your body rest.
Will I feel any pain with dental sedation?
Under dental sedation, patients should not feel any pain. Dentists typically combine sedation and anesthetic to make patients’ dental experience as pain-free and comfortable as possible.
What should I do before dental sedation?
Before dental sedation, the dentist may instruct you not to eat anything six to twelve hours before your procedure. Do not eat or drink anything if they instruct you to do this. You can drink water two hours before your procedure, but that is all.
Do you remember anything after oral sedation?
With oral sedation, it’s common for patients to have little or no memory of their dental procedure. The extent of memory loss depends on the sedative’s strength, dosage, and the individual’s response to the medication. This can be helpful for patients with dental anxiety or those with complex treatments.
Is IV sedation the same as laughing gas?
No. IV sedation and laughing gas are not the same. IV sedation involves administering sedatives directly into the bloodstream, providing deeper relaxation.
Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a mild sedative gas inhaled through a mask. Nitrous offers lighter sedation and quicker recovery. Both methods help patients feel more comfortable during dental treatments.
Request a Dental Exam Today
Receive comfortable treatment at Premier Dental Care today. Call our dentists in Lancaster, CA, at (661) 948-6700. You can also schedule a dental visit to our Lancaster dentist office online. Contact our dentists in Palmdale, CA, at (661) 273-6565 or schedule a visit to our Palmdale dentist office.
Dr. Naguib and his team aim to provide patients with a warm and friendly environment. If you are concerned about pain and require dental care, talk to us about sedation.