Dental anxiety has become a big issue for many adults and children. The thought of the pain and discomfort is overwhelming. Thankfully, there are now solutions for finding peace of mind while sitting in the dental chair, thanks to IV sedation.
As a form of conscious sedation, IV sedation makes you feel very relaxed while at your appointment.
The fear of going to the dentist is real, in fact about 75% of Americans feel anxiety when going to the dentist, which can be crippling. This can compromise the quality of treatments and even lead to missed appointments. IV sedation helps manage this fear, ensuring the visit is comfortable and pain free!
Safety should always be a priority for both the dentist and patient.
Like any type of sedation, there are guidelines set forth by the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. IV sedation affects the central nervous system (and therefore consciousness), it is required to have trained personnel to monitor breathing and vital signs.
Colgate explains IV Sedation Dentistry
IV sedation dentistry works as a form of conscious sedation to help you feel relaxed during your appointment. This method does not put you fully to sleep, but it does make you less aware of your surroundings — including anything the dentist may or may not be doing to your mouth. That means you can still respond to verbal commands or gentle nudging, and you should not need help breathing. Unlike other forms of sedation that are inhaled (like nitrous oxide) or taken in pill form, the dentist administers the sedation intravenously, which means through your vein.
IV sedation provides several benefits:
It starts working quickly, and you feel minimal to no pain during the procedure.
The dentist can monitor your vitals and easily adjust the dosage.
It creates a long period of amnesia, so you won’t remember the procedure at all when you wake up.
It allows you to cooperate for a more extended period, so your dentist can perform multiple procedures with only one appointment
If you’ve been putting off going to the dentist because of anxiety or caregiver of someone with special needs, contact Blue Sky Anesthesia Associates. We bring hospital level sedation to your New Hampshire dental office.
