Ensuring Patient Comfort With IV Sedation
October 16, 2019
When we perform oral surgery, we may be extracting a wisdom tooth to prevent painful impactions, or possibly replacing missing teeth with a lifelike and durable dental implant. But to ensure the patient feels comfortable and relaxed through the proceedings, your Kansas City, MO, dentist will usually prescribe sedation. Find out how IV sedation helps calm anxious patients.
How Does IV Sedation Work?
IV sedation is the deepest form available, much stronger than nitrous oxide or oral sedation. The medication is administered though an IV to the bloodstream, so the effects happen quickly, allowing you to enter a very calm and relaxed state, with little to no memory of the procedure. A certified anesthesiologist will monitor your vitals through the entire procedure.
When Do You Prescribe It?
We often recommend this option for people with severe dental anxiety, the kind that makes undergoing even routine procedures difficult. We know that anxiety or bad past experiences could lead to this fear, so we want to take steps to ensure our patients feel comfortable and relaxed, and enjoy their visit. We don’t want their fears to keep people from enjoying the healthy smiles, we want them to smile with confidence and enjoy optimal oral health. We also prescribe a calming agent for those with special needs that could make undergoing treatment difficult, and obviously, for those undergoing oral surgery to remove a tooth or obtain a new one.
What Happens Next?
Once the procedure ends, the calming agent will take time to wear off completely. We recommend having a friend or family member available to bring you home. You should avoid driving or returning to work or school until the next day, once the effects have stopped completely. We will provide detailed aftercare instructions for taking your antibiotics or pain medication, as well as when to eat only soft foods, how to brush and floss carefully, and other steps to help facilitate an easy and complication-free healing process. There will be follow-up visits as well to monitor your smile as you recover, and to remove any sutures. If you have any questions about our cleaning options, or if you think you need to undergo treatment, then contact our team today. We will perform a thorough exam to assess your oral health and decide what treatments you need. We can then create a personalized treatment plan and address any questions you may have.
Do You Need Oral Surgery?
If you’re worried about a serious procedure, or about even undergoing minor care, then talk to our team about possible calming solutions. To learn more about dental sedation and other treatment options, then please schedule a consultation by calling Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.