Posts for tag: oral sedation nashville
Question: Will I be able to drive home after my sedation appointment?
Answer: Depending on the type of sedation you receive, you will likely not be able to drive home. With the exception of laughing gas, you will not be able to drive home on your own. For oral and IV sedation, are you required to have an escort accompany you to the appointment, drive you home and stay with you for the remainder of the day. In addition to not being able to drive, you are restricted from going to work that day, operating heavy machinery, making major decisions while under the influence, and being alone. It is for these reasons that you must have a responsible escort be with you at all times for the duration of the day.
Question: If someone is getting sedated for their dental work, do they still need to be numb (i.e. get injections?)?
Answer: Yes, even though sedation will relax the patient (perhaps even make them sleep) and cause an amnesia-like effect, injections are still often necessary. Sedation does not eliminate the perception of pain therefore the patient will still need to be numb. The combination of the sedation and the injections provide the best pain free and relaxing situation for a fearful patient.
Despite the injections, however, the sedation will lessen the anxiety about the injections as well as promoting more comfortable injections. Most patients have no recollection of injections or the procedure!
Question: Is Dental Sedation Safe and Is it for everyone?
Answer: Yes and no. Dental Sedation is very safe and most of the time very predictable in the response you will get. While there are multiple forms of providing sedation such oral, IV, IM, IN, inhalation, some forms are safer than others. The type of sedation to be used is tailored to the patient that desires it as well as fitting the comfort level of the provider.
For example, IV sedation is an excellent treatment for adults that have a great deal of anxiety yet not recommended in treatment for children.
Why is this?
Determining the proper type of sedation is not just evaluating the medical history of the patient, but evaluating previous dental experiences, assessing the compliance or willingness of the patient to forego treatment, and ensuring the patient has been educated about what is being done, why and how.
Back to IV sedation, children are not candidates for IV due to their inability to understand what is going on and they are less likely to be compliant to the situation. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or oral sedation are better options for the child because of their noninvasive nature.
The majority of patients I encounter in my practice are good candidates for sedation dentistry. The more important question is what kind of sedation do they need and what will help them achieve the experience they desire. The answer to this lies in the evaluation by the dentist. Spend time with your dentist, discussing your fears, past experiences, medical history, family history as well as your goals and expectations. The combination of all of these will establish whether or not you are a candidate for sedation!
Dr.Glasmeier
