Everything You Should Know About IV Sedation Dentistry

Most people avoid the dentist’s office like the plague, usually because of dental anxiety. This is a problem that develops as you grow up, mostly because of past traumatic dental works or simply the fear of pain. While dental anxiety is not a new concept, it can hold you back from seeking the much-needed dental treatments that could help you sustain excellent oral health. Fortunately, sedation dentistry provides different alternatives that help you go through your dental procedures without fear or anxiety. An example of such a method is IV sedation, which has allowed for the performance of millions of dental treatments across the world over.

What Is IV Sedation?

It is a type of sedation method used by sedation dentists in Rocklin to enable the performance of different dental procedures. It involves injecting a sedative medication through a vein in the arm or hand, which is why it is called Intravenous sedation. The anti-anxiety drugs administered in IV sedation dentistry in Rocklin will help you remain calm and comfortable throughout your procedure. When the sedative is administered, you can sometimes feel sleepy or even fall asleep. However, in most cases, you will remain conscious through your treatment.

How Does IV Sedation Work?

A dentist near you will use a small needle on a vein in your arm or hand. The needle is usually connected to an intravenous tube that delivers the sedating drug into your veins. If you have a fear of pain, your dentist will apply a numbing cream on your arm before the injection. This will ensure that the sedating process is painless. While under sedation, the dentist will keep monitoring your blood levels, including your blood pressure.

​Interesting Facts about IV Sedation

To better appreciate the role of IV sedation dentistry for the performance of different dental treatments in dentistry, consider the following facts:

• It is the fastest method of sedation – the sedative medication is administered directly into your bloodstream through your veins, which is much faster than swallowing a pill and waiting for it to kick in before treatment. This is why IV sedation is highly used in emergency dentistry, where treatments need to be offered urgently.
• It can be regulated – the level of sedation can range between minimal and moderate by controlling the concentration of the sedative thereof. This can be done all while the dentist in 95765 continues with your dental procedure.
• It allows the dentist to perform multiple dental procedures within one visit – this is made possible by keeping the IV on your arm all through the treatment. This way, the dentist can perform different dental works without the hindrance of gag reflexes or dental anxiety.
• You should not come alone for treatment when IV sedation is involved – even after your treatment, the effects of the drug will still be felt in your body. For such reasons, you may not be able to drive yourself home or do many tasks. This is why you need to tag a friend or family member who can take care of your transition from the dentist’s office to your home. However, in a few hours, the effects of the sedative will not be felt, as the drug wears off in your system.
• You are likely to fall asleep during IV sedation – even though it is not the case for all patients, many patients fall asleep after IV sedation. For those that are awake, they barely remember the eventualities of their treatment, regarding smells, sights and sounds related to the dental works performed thereof.
• It is perfect for long and complex dental procedures – when performing dental procedures like root canals, dental implants, and tooth extractions, a dentist near you is likely to use IV sedation over other methods. This is because IV sedation takes effect in your body fast, but also lasts longer, therefore, allowing for complex procedures to be performed smoothly.
• It is used as an alternative to general anesthesia – general anesthesia is a form of deep sedation that leaves you fully unconscious throughout your treatment. You are cast into a deep sleep that might be hard to wake up from, which is why it is not a commonly used method. Instead, dentists use IV sedation to amply sedate you without the risks involved in using general anesthesia.