Benefits of IV Sedation

Intravenous sedation, commonly referred to as IV sedation, is used by dentists far and wide for good reason: it is an effective and affordable means of mitigating pain during dental procedures. There is no reason to fear IV sedation. This method for enhancing patient comfort during dental surgeries and other procedures has a number of critically important benefits every patient should know about. Without further adieu, let’s take a look at the many different merits of IV sedation.

Achieve a Deep State of Relaxation

IV sedation1 is revered for the incredibly deep state of relaxation it induces. If you are even slightly anxious about the upcoming dental procedure, IV sedation will ease your anxiety, eliminate the pain and allow for a drama-free surgery. In fact, IV sedation provides a much deeper state of relaxation than other sedation methods. Once you are sedated through IV, you will reach a state of semi-consciousness that essentially puts you to sleep through the course of the treatment. You will not wake until the treatment/procedure is over.

IV Sedation Works Quickly

One of the most important advantages of IV sedation is it works its magic without delay. Unlike oral sedation taken by way of medication, there is no need to wait an entire hour for IV sedation to take effect. Nor is there any need for the patient to take any sort of pill or anything else at home or work before the dental procedure. IV sedation kicks in after mere seconds pass. As soon as the IV is in position, the anesthetic is provided, moves to the brain and puts the patient in a deeply relaxed state. This way, there is no anxiety or fear on behalf of the patient.

An Effective Means of Improving Oral Health

Above all, the most glaring benefit of IV sedation is it provides dentists and patients with the opportunity to enjoy painless dental treatments and procedures. This painless approach to improving oral health has helped countless patients retain their teeth, keep those teeth healthy and ultimately save money while enjoying life all the more. In fact, IV sedation provides such deep relaxation, it is possible for the dentist to perform multiple treatments while the patient is in the chair during a single appointment. The dentist really can makeover the entirety of your smile in merely one dental appointment instead of having to schedule multiple appointments across several days, weeks or months. It does not get any more efficient than that.

IV Sedation is Safer Than General Anesthesia

Unlike general anesthesia, there is no need for the patient to be rendered fully unconscious when IV sedation is applied. Rather, the patient remains in a semi-conscious state. As a result, IV sedation really is that much safer than alternative forms of sedation such as general anesthesia. Furthermore, the fact that the patient is still semi-conscious allows him or her to communicate to the dentist about discomfort as the procedure or treatment is performed. The same cannot be said of patients provided with general anesthesia as they have no awareness to communicate potential problems such as the feeling of pain.

How Patients Feel After Procedures Performed with IV Sedation

Once the procedure is over, you will likely feel a bit groggy as a result of the IV sedation. You might also experience very slight nausea or a minor headache. However, such slight discomfort is a very small price to pay to avoid considerable pain that would otherwise occur during the dental procedure had the IV sedation not been applied.

Your vital signs including your pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen level will be monitored as you recover. It might take upwards of an hour of observation to clear you to return home with a designated driver. You will not have any memory of the procedure after it is complete. IV sedation really is the optimal means of pain prevention for patients who have dental anxiety.

Those given IV sedation recover quite quickly compared to patients provided with general anesthesia. Once the sedative wears off there might be slight grogginess as noted above. However, there is no need for several hours or half a day to pass before a patient provided with IV sedation can re-orient him or herself and head back home with the assistance of a designated driver.

Contact Freedom Dental Today

Our dental team is here to keep you perfectly comfortable throughout the entirety of your dental procedure with IV sedation. Whether you need a root canal, a cavity filled, tooth extraction or another dental procedure, we will do the work in a manner that causes as little discomfort as possible. Give us a call at (707) 416-0626 to learn more about our dental services and schedule an appointment2.

Resources

1. https://www.dentistinfairfield.com/Sedation-Dentistry
2. https://www.dentistinfairfield.com/Contact

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