Benefits of Relaxation/Sleep Medicine During Procedures

Sedation dentistry involves our dentist administering medications to a patient to perform dental procedures like fillings, tooth extractions, and root canals. The medication can range from Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) to Valium or other nerve medications. Intravenous medications can be given to put a patient completely to sleep. There are several reasons why our dentists might use sedation techniques on a patient.

One of the biggest reasons to use sedation is because the patient is too afraid to have dental work completed any other way. Another reason is that our dentist may need to perform several procedures at once. Children or patients that cannot sit still enough may need to be sedated. Often a procedure that may require extensive work goes easier with sedation. Finally, our dentist will put a person to sleep if they expect problems to occur with the procedure.

Usually, the patient arrives at our dental office half an hour to an hour before their actual appointment time. The patient is called back to take a pill, or placed in a chair and given a mask to inhale the laughing gas. Patients that are put to sleep will have an IV placed in their arm, and medication will be introduced through the IV.

Sedation Dentistry Fullerton

What Happens During Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry uses techniques to make the patient comfortable, especially a patient who is unusually fearful of being in the dentist’s chair. During sedation dentistry:

  • The patient might be given a sedative like Valium the night before the procedure. The patient comes into the office already in a relaxed state. Or, the patient takes the oral sedative when they come into our dental office. After about an hour, the patient is in a relaxed state.
  • Our dentist may also administer nitrous oxide and oxygen through a gas mask. Though effective, the gas wears off quickly enough for the patient to be able to drive themselves home after the procedure.
  • The patient can also receive intravenous sedation. One of our dental experts administers a sedative through an IV line, which allows it to work very quickly.
  • The patient is also administered a local anesthetic, which is injected by needle into the site where the dentist performs the procedure.

Sedation Dentistry – FAQs

Nitrous oxide is the most common. It is a gas that is administered through a mask that is placed on the nose. It is commonly used for children who are getting dental work done. IV sedation is typically reserved for those who have a higher level of anxiety while at the dentist or for intensive dental work. Another option is oral sedation where a pill is taken the night before the procedure to help the patient relax and another is given the day of the procedure.
The sedation will last through the dental procedure. Effects usually wear off half an hour to an hour after the procedure is completed.