Posts for tag: Nashville sedation dentistry
Question: Will I be unconscious for sedation dentistry?
Answer: No, being unconcious for sedation dentistry would imply general anesthesia. General anesthesia is not commonly used in dentistry for adults but more frequent in children in a hospital settings. Being unconscious implies not being able to maintain your airway. Most of the sedation dentistry techniques are designed to put the patient in very relaxed state yet the patient still has a patent airway. The patient can still breathe(ventilate), move their limbs, and respond to verbal command (i.e. yes or no answers). There are different levels of sedation that provide deeper relaxation as well as increasing the likelihood of amnesia following treatment. Talk to Dr.Glasmeier about how sedation dentistry can relax you!
What are the most commonly used medications in IV sedation?
Typically there is a combination of medications(sedatives and narcotics) used to achieve sedation in order eliminate anxiety as well as providing pain control. The types and amounts greatly depend on the length of the procedure, the medical history of the patient, and the types of procedures.
Usually a combination of sedative(benzodiazepines) such as Versed or Valium will be given to help with anxiety control. In addition, a pain medicine is administered along with the sedative to help with pain control but to also further assist with the sedation process. Usually, Demerol or Fentanyl are the pain medications administered IV.
Other IV meds sometimes used in IV sedation are Phenergan(to offset nausea from the other medications), and Dexamethasone (steroids that control postoperative swelling/inflammation). Propofol, is also a commonly used IV medication to assist with the sedation but is only indicated in very short procedures and has very limited use in dentistry because of the dangers if not used appropriately.
IV sedation is very safe an in fact, is much safer than oral sedation as IV sedation relies on medications being placed through the IV so the effects can be felt much faster, be better controlled, and easier to reverse should an emergency occur. Ask your dentist about the types of sedation he/she offers and how it can benefit you!
