In spite of the dental technology that has made dentistry virtually pain-free, dental fear and anxiety still keeps millions of patients away from the dental office every year. For these patients, local anesthesia is not enough to treat the psychological factors of their condition and a sedative is often needed to put them at ease during dental treatment. Conscious sedation is an excellent way to treat dental anxiety so Dr. Ranchod can get to work on your teeth!
Conscious sedation dentistry allows you to enter a state of relaxation while staying awake during the procedure. Although you won't feel any pain, you'll be able to respond to the questions and commands. As communication is key with any dentist-patient relationship, conscious sedation is an excellent option for fearful dental patients.
Dental Sedation in a Nutshell
There are several types of sedation dentistry used to treat different levels of dental anxiety, each putting you in varied states of relaxation:
Light Sedation
With minimal sedation, you are relaxed while remaining awake and alert.
Moderate Sedation
You will remain conscious during a procedure, but you probably won't remember much about it. While you're able to communicate, you may feel groggy and slur your words. Some patients do fall asleep with moderate sedation but can be easily woken back up.
Deep Sedation
This renders you either semi- or totally unconscious during your dental procedure, and does not usually fall under the category of conscious sedation. You will not regain consciousness until the drug wears off or is reversed, and recovery time takes longer. Most forms of conscious sedation are considered "light" or "moderate" sedation. Surprisingly, conscious sedation is also referred to as sleep dentistry even though you remain awake during the procedure!
Choose Your Administration
There are several ways conscious sedation can be administered:
Inhalation Sedation
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is considered a light form of dental sedation. Dr. Ranchod will administer the nitrous oxide through a mask that's placed over your nose. The gas is inhaled through the nose and expelled through the mouth. When the procedure is over, the nitrous oxide wears off almost immediately with minimal to no side effects or recovery time.
Oral Sedation
Oral medication used for sedation purposes produces a light to moderate effect depending on the strength of the prescription. Oral sedation usually comes in the form of a pill taken an hour before the procedure. Although you'll be able to respond to Dr. Ranchod's commands, you may feel sleepy. Recovery time will take longer, and you'll need an escort to drive you home. Although rare, side effects may include nausea and vomiting.
IV Sedation
Like oral sedation, IV sedation is considered moderate. The difference is the drugs are delivered intravenously, producing an effect much sooner. IV sedation also allows Dr. Ranchod to adjust the level of sedation needed during the procedure.
