CONSCIOUS SEDATION: Intravenous, IV Sedation
Conscious Sedation is a lifesaver for patients that are afraid of the dentist. In the past, patients endured hours of painful dental work, which left them fatigued and fearful of returning to the dentist.
Today, patients at Goodness Dental seeking dental surgery, dental implants, All on 4 or a full mouth restoration can choose conscious sedation, which (as strange as it sounds) puts patients in a state of sedation, while they remain conscious and able to respond to their dentist during treatment.
Conscious intravenous (IV) sedation is administered through an injection (just a tiny pin prick) in the back of your hand to make you feel like you are asleep, although you will remain conscious, and can follow the dentist’s instructions. The feeling of relaxation is so profound that patients are unable to remember the procedure. While sedated, time will appear to pass very quickly. Most patients report that they remember speaking with the anesthesiologist, and then waking a few minutes later to discover that their entire procedure was complete. Conscious sedation is highly recommended for patients that suffer from anxiety or have a low pain threshold.
Conscious Sedation vs. General Anesthesia
There is a significant difference between IV (conscious) sedation and general anesthesia (unconscious sedation) used for invasive surgical procedures. During general anesthesia, you are completely asleep and cannot be aroused. General anesthesia requires breathing support, while an anesthesiologist monitors your vital signs.
During IV (conscious) sedation, the patient remains awake but not alert. Patients that choose conscious IV sedation are not “asleep” but rather in a safe and comfortable “semi-awake” state of reduced anxiety where they cannot feel any pain.
The Conscious Sedation Process:
After conscious sedation has begun, your surgeon will numb the surgical site as well. You will likely have no recollection of this. Conscious sedation is highly effective and can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each patient. Patient comfort and safety is our first concern. The anesthesiologists at Goodness Dental have performed thousands of conscious sedation procedures and understand the unique needs of our dental surgery and dental implant patients.
Throughout the sedation process, you will be continuously monitored by the anesthesiologist, dentist and staff members, using electronic equipment that shows blood pressure, heart rate, the amount of oxygen in the blood and, often, your heart function, on an EKG monitor. After the procedure is over, you will not be released until we have determined that it is safe for you to leave our clinic.
At Goodness Dental, we want our patients to have fond memories of their dental vacation. We highly recommend conscious intravenous sedation for our surgical and dental implant patients, and we offer this service at very affordable rates to make it easy for you to say “YES.” Please contact one of our patient coordinators to discuss conscious sedation for your upcoming dental treatment at Goodness Dental.