The Most Common Forms of Sedation
- By Mary Marks
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- 21 Jan, 2021
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Surgical interventions are invasive and can only be performed if the patient undergoes a certain level of sedation. The level of the sedation is decided based on many considerations, including the complexity of the intervention and the patient’s preferences – here are the most common types that sedation dentistry doctors and patients can choose from:
- Sedation with nitrous oxide – the odorless gas induces mild sedation, therefore it is mainly used to help patients suffering from anxiety or fear from the procedure, such as dental treatments;
- Conscious sedation administered orally – doctors can also use tablets to induce mild to moderate sedation during which the patient stays conscious, but is relaxed and not suffering from anxiety and fear;
- IV sedation – intravenous sedation is common for procedures that are very uncomfortable, lengthy or painful. The patients who receive IV sedation fall asleep within a few minutes after having received the first small dose of sedative, then further, small doses are administered during the procedure to maintain the sedation. The patient will wake up soon after the administration of the sedative is stopped;
- General anesthesia – this method is the most commonly used for major interventions, but it is very demanding for the patient’s body, therefore follow-up monitoring and risk management is usually necessary.
Although oral sedation dentistry Highlands Ranch is one of the optionsavailable for managing anxiety and discomfort during oral surgery, you certainly do not need to use it all the time. As a matter of fact, the exact type of sedation or anesthesia that you receive during oral procedures may depend on various factors, such as the complexity of the procedure, your medical problems, as well as your doctor’s preferences.
There can be several different levels of sedation that can be used in oral surgery. Local anesthesia is one of them. This involves injecting anesthetic medication into the specific area where the surgery will take place. It numbs the area and is often used for less invasive procedures.
Oral sedation involves taking medication in the form of a pill to induce a state of relaxation and drowsiness. The patient is still conscious, but he/she may not be fully aware of the procedure. At any rate, sedation helps him/her get rid of anxiety.
In the case of intravenous sedation, medication is administered through a vein, which induces a deeper state of sedation than oral sedation. Patients may still be conscious, but they are less aware of their surroundings and may not remember the procedure.
