Dental anxiety can prevent you from scheduling or keeping dental appointments. Drs. Gilberto Tostado and Karina Acuña Malo of 5 Star Dental Group in San Antonio offer sedation to help you relax and get the necessary care. While you won’t actually be asleep, it may seem like it and you likely won’t even remember your dental procedure.
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry uses a dentist-prescribed sedative to relax you during dental procedures. Unlike general anesthesia, you will remain conscious with dental sedation. Dr. Tostado or Dr. Acuña Malo will still apply a local anesthetic to numb the treatment areas of your mouth for a comfortable, painless procedure.
How Can You Benefit from Sedation Dentistry?
You can benefit from sedation even if you don’t have dental anxiety. Some patients who aren’t really anxious elect to have conscious sedation so that they can comfortably undergo lengthy treatment. Here are the advantages:
- Allows you to get a lengthy procedure in complete comfort
- Calms a sensitive gag reflex
- Enables our dentists to complete more treatment in less time and fewer appointments
What Are the Types of Sedation?
Sedation options at 5 Star Dental Group include oral conscious sedation and IV sedation. For both options, you will need someone to bring you to your appointment and take you home.
Oral sedation
Oral sedation involves taking a pill about an hour before your procedure. The sedative will make you feel drowsy and relaxed, but you will still be conscious and able to respond to Dr. Tostado or Dr. Acuña Malo.
IV sedation
Administering medication through an intravenous (IV) line provides faster sedation than pills. It also brings you to a deeper level of sedation than oral medications.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?
Sedation dentistry uses commonly prescribed drugs to calm you safely and effectively during dental procedures. They have well-established histories of safety. Even so, as an extra measure of safety, we will be monitoring your vital signs throughout any sedation procedure.
Since most dental office health emergencies are brought on by the stress felt by patients while undergoing treatment, many clinicians feel that, for the anxious patient, a sedative that will reduce the stress felt actually enhances the safety of dental treatment.
What Can You Expect with Sedation?
Sedation dentistry reduces anxiety while allowing you to remain conscious. We will explain if you should stop eating or drinking up to six hours before your appointment based on the medication and procedure.
Before and after oral sedation
- Before: You will take the sedative pill about an hour before your procedure. You should also arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
- After: You will likely feel drowsy and relaxed for several hours after your procedure, so avoid driving, operating machinery, or making important decisions until you are fully alert.
Before and after IV sedation
- Before: You need to arrange transportation and arrive early to have an IV line placed.
- After: After your procedure, you will stay at our office until we ensure you are fully awake and recovered. You should not drive, operate machinery, or make important decisions for several hours after your procedure.
Schedule a Sedation Dentistry Consultation
Our compassionate team at 5 Star Dental Group in San Antonio will help you feel comfortable. Sedation dentistry can keep you calm while we work to keep your teeth healthy. Call us to schedule a consultation or complete our appointment request form.