During your next appointment at Midtown Dental, sedation can ease your dental anxiety levels and allow you to perform multiple procedures in one visit.
IV sedation delivers medication intravenously into your vein with a thin needle while you sit in the dental chair.
Before Your Dental Procedure
To ensure a smooth, sedated dental procedure, we recommend that you:
- Wear clothing that is loose-fitting and comfortable.
- Remove jewelry and nail polish.
- Avoid eating or drinking 6-8 hours before your scheduled procedure.
- Do not smoke for at least 12 hours before your procedure.
- Do not wear contact lenses during the procedure.
- Don’t take any medications before the appointment unless previously approved by your dentist.
- Alert your dentist immediately to any significant changes in your medical history.
- Bring someone with you to the appointment who can take you home.
How Does IV Sedation Work?
IV sedation is conscious sedation, meaning you’ll be awake and responsive to our dentists’ requests, but you won’t remember any pain.
You may have heard of sedation forms, including sedation with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation.
Each sedation method offers minimal sedation, moderate sedation, and deep sedation. However, IV sedation allows our experienced dentists to complete more elaborate full-mouth constructions in only one or two visits, compared to other forms of sedation.
According to the American Dental Association, IV moderate sedation is a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light tactile stimulation.
Decrease dental anxiety by choosing IV sedation during your next visit to Midtown Dental.
What Happens During Your Dental Appointment?
After arriving at our office, Dr. Apekian will start you on an IV. A small needle inserts into your hand or arm, and our team will push the majority of medications through the IV, including sedatives, pain medicine, anti-inflammatories, and/or steroids.
Our certified dentist and assistants will monitor your pulse, breathing, and blood pressure through the procedure to watch for any adverse reactions. You should immediately feel relaxed and unaware of sights, smells, or sounds but remain responsive to verbal commands from our team.
What Happens After Your Dental Procedure Or Dental Procedures?
After the procedure, you may feel slightly drowsy for several hours. The person you brought with you will collect post-procedure instructions from the dentist and take you home. You will need to clear your schedule for the next 24 hours and avoid strenuous activity, unapproved medications, alcohol, operating heavy machinery, or making major life decisions.
Complications with dental sedation are rare but contact our dental office immediately if you suspect any problems.
IV Sedation Dentistry at Midtown Dental
Understanding what to expect before, during, and after your dental treatment with IV sedation will help you limit the potential for risk and decrease your level of anxiety.
While most dentists can administer minimal sedation, such as nitrous oxide or oral sedation, only a small percentage of dentists can offer more complex sedation techniques like IV sedation.
Our sedation dentist, Dr. Jenny Apekian, is IV certified and licensed to administer IV sedation, received additional specialty training, and is legally certified by the state to deliver medical drugs that alter a patient’s consciousness for a comfortable, pain-free treatment.
Call today at (916) 441–5800 to learn more about our IV Sedation Dentistry services.