Sedation Dentistry – Toledo, OH

What is Oral Conscious Sedation?

To receive oral conscious sedation, there are no needles to inject or masks to wear. If you’re someone who suffers from dental anxiety, nervousness, or fear, it can provide the moderate sedative effects necessary to make your care possible. The way it works is relatively straightforward. We’ll ask you to take a pill either right when you arrive or slightly before your appointment. This pill is typically Valium, Ativan, or Halcion, all common sedatives used in dental settings. Since the effects can be long-lasting, you will need to have a friend or family member drive you to and from our office.

How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work?

The effects of the sedative take about 15 minutes to kick in, but they can linger well after your appointment is already complete. Pretty soon, you should start to feel incredibly relaxed, calm, and prepared to complete your procedure. In many cases, patients don’t remember much (if any) of their appointment, making it especially ideal for those very sensitive to stimuli typically found in a dental office.

Our dental team will closely monitor your vital signs and comfort levels to ensure you’re safe and sound from start to finish. You’ll still be conscious during your treatment, so you can respond to basic commands and let us know how you’re feeling.

Are You a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?

Oral conscious sedation is most ideal for those with moderate levels of anxiety, but it’s hardly the only group that can benefit from its use. For example, those with the following may also want to explore sedation options when visiting the dentist:

• A tendency to cancel appointments at the last second due to feeling nervous or afraid of hearing bad news
• A sensitive gag reflex
• The need to complete several appointments at a time (or one very long procedure)
• Difficulty keeping their mouth open for long periods of time
• Difficulty feeling the effects of anesthesia
• Negative dental experiences in the past

Who is a Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide?

Nitrous oxide is a great sedation option for both children and adults. Safe and effective, it is ideal for patients who suffer from:

• A fear of needles
• Mild or moderate dental anxiety
• A strong or sensitive gag reflex
• Difficulty sitting still for extended periods
• Dental sensitivity
• Difficulty with numbing agents

Although a safe option for most patients, there are certain instances where it should be avoided. These include:

• Individuals who are pregnant
• Those with sinus congestion
• Those with respiratory disease
• Individuals taking certain medications that can negatively interact with sedation

How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?

The process of receiving nitrous oxide is quite simple. Your sedation dentist in Toledo will put a nose mask in place and instruct you to begin inhaling the nitrous oxide and oxygen mixture. Within a matter of minutes, you will begin to feel lightheaded and more relaxed. You might feel some tingling in your extremities as you become more comfortable.

One of the major benefits of nitrous oxide sedation is the effects quickly dissipate once the gas is turned off. This allows you to drive home immediately following your appointments and resume normal activity. You won’t need to worry about any lingering effects. This is vastly different than if you were to receive oral conscious sedation or IV sedation.

Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide

Once the gas is turned off, you will need to stay at our office for a few minutes to ensure you feel like yourself. Most patients will not experience lingering effects; however, we must be sure you are fine to drive. Once we are comfortable that you are feeling like your normal self, you can return to work, school, or home and resume normal activities after your appointment.

If you received any follow-up instructions from your dentist, make sure to abide by the guidelines, as they will ensure a successful and swift recovery.

What Is IV Dental Sedation?

As its name suggests, IV dental sedation is administered directly into the blood stream via a small needle placed in the arm or the back of the hand. This allows the effects of the sedative to come about quickly, and in a matter of moments you’ll feel as if you have drifted off to sleep. Despite this, you’ll remain conscious with IV sedation, making it a much safer alternative to general anesthesia. While you’ll be able to respond to very simple instructions, you won’t register any of the sights, sounds, or sensations that would typically cause you discomfort. In fact, some patients drift off during their appointment!

Our experienced team will monitor you closely while you’re sedated. If needed, we’ll be able to adjust your level of sedation at any time to ensure your comfort and safety. IV dental sedation helps patients stay still for extended periods of time, which in turn allows us to work faster. After your appointment, you’ll still feel very groggy. You’ll need a trusted friend or family member to take you home, and you should expect to spend the rest of your day relaxing. The sedative will wear off in several hours, and you will not likely have any memories of your treatment.

Who Is a Good Candidate for IV Dental Sedation?

IV dental sedation is not a good choice for everyone. Very young or older patients will likely be better suited for nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation. patients who are breastfeeding, taking certain medications, or who have certain illnesses may also not qualify for IV sedation. Instead, this option is typically a good choice for patients with severe dental phobia or who are undergoing long, complex treatments. It’s also a good choice for patients who don’t respond to numbing medication well or who have trouble sitting in the examination chair for long periods of time.

The Benefits of IV Dental Sedation

Relaxing with IV dental sedation offers benefits like:

• Comfortably getting the important dental care you need
• Having several treatments completed at once, or completing a larger procedure in one appointment instead of several
• You likely won’t remember anything about your appointment afterwards
• Your dosage will be completely personalized to your unique needs and can be adjusted at any point for maximum safety

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe? 

Dental sedation, particularly nitrous oxide, is perfectly safe for most patients. Before deciding whether to administer sedation, your dentist will go over your medical history and current medications to find out if there may be any negative interactions. Be sure to let your dentist know about both prescription and over-the-counter medications you are taking. During your procedure, our dental team will closely monitor your blood pressure, oxygen levels, heart rate, and other vitals at all times to ensure your safety.

Will I Remember Anything with Dental Sedation? 

Even though you’re technically awake with most forms of sedation, chances are you won’t remember much of your procedure. In general, IV sedation is more likely to make you forget your experience in the dentist’s chair compared to oral conscious sedation and nitrous oxide. The memory loss effect of sedation actually helps patients with extreme anxiety and/or negative past dental experiences get the oral care they need. If your dentist administers general anesthesia, you definitely will not remember anything because you will be fully unconscious during the procedure.

Am I a Good Candidate for Sedation Dentistry? 

If you experience dread or severe anxiety at the idea of going to the dentist’s office, you might benefit from sedation dentistry. Putting off oral care due to fear will only allow minor issues to worsen and become serious problems. You might also be a good candidate if you have a low pain tolerance, a sensitive gag reflex, or difficulties sitting still or holding your mouth open for prolonged periods of time. If you’d like to get extensive dental work done in one setting, dental sedation can make for a more comfortable experience. Patients who are pregnant, have certain medical conditions, or are taking certain medications might not be good candidates for sedation. Your dentist will go over your medical history and list of medications beforehand to find out if sedation is right for you.