Dental Care Needn’t Be Anxiety-Ridden – Opt for Oral Conscious Sedation in Boca Raton, FL

Make Your Dentist Visits Stress-Free With Oral Conscious Sedation

If you’re like most of our patients, the thought of a dental chair causes your heart to start beating a little faster.
You’re not alone. It’s normal to feel apprehensive before and during dental procedures. But sometimes, you may be so anxious that you end up putting off or not getting the care you need.
Don’t let that happen to you. Modern oral sedatives are a relatively safe and highly effective tool for preventing pain and reducing anxiety during minor procedures.

Boca Dental: Your Go-to Dentists With Oral Sedation Services

Oral conscious sedation (a.k.a. sedation dentistry, moderate sedation, or twilight anesthesia) is a popular medical procedure in which you take a sedative drug in pill or liquid form to block pain and reduce anxiety during dental treatment.

Unlike general anesthesia, oral sedatives don’t cause you to lose sensation and consciousness. You enter a state of relaxation but remain awake and aware. Reflexes such as coughing and breathing remain functional, and you can respond to questions or commands.

Oral sedatives we use in our practice include:

• Ambien
• Ativan
• Halcion
• Serax
• Sonata
• Valium
• Vistaril
• Xanax

What Does The Procedure Entail?

Oral conscious sedation is rapid and easy to administer. No special equipment or preparation is required, making it more economical than other forms of sedation and the preferred method for most patients.

We’ll take your medical history and prescribe the most appropriate sedative and dosage for your health status, medical condition, and lifestyle needs. Most patients take a dose the evening before the treatment, followed by a second dose one hour to 30 minutes before the procedure. If needed, we may prescribe a larger dose for moderate sedation. Alternatively, you could take a single dose on the day of your dental appointment.

Is Oral Conscious Sedation Safe?

Oral conscious sedation is relatively safe for most patients. Our multidisciplinary team of dentists with oral sedation experience — consisting of a general dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry, a periodontist, and an in-house MD anesthesiologist — will carefully review your medical history to identify the best sedative for your needs, ensure your safety, and avoid potential complications.

However, some sedatives, including benzodiazepines, are central nervous system (CNS) depressants. This class of drugs decreases your breathing and blood pressure, so you must never mix them with other CNS depressants such as alcohol.

You should also ensure you have someone to drive you back home. Oral sedatives can cause disorientation and poor coordination, much like alcohol, so you must not drive or operate heavy machinery after your treatment. Someone should escort you even if you plan to walk home.

Are There Any Side Effects?

You may fall asleep during the procedure, but we can usually wake dozing patients with a gentle shake. Like with other forms of sedation, you will likely feel groggy, tired, and sleepy for a few hours after your procedure.

Your perception, reasoning, and comprehension may be slightly impaired during and for some time after the treatment. Some patients report experiencing nausea, mild headaches, and dry mouth. These are all perfectly normal and shouldn’t last longer than a few hours.

Who Can Take Oral Sedatives?

Most patients are good candidates for conscious oral sedation.

However, be sure to inform your dentist and primary care physician if you are considering oral sedation and are pregnant or nursing, take prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or dietary supplements, or have any of the following medical conditions:

• Drug allergies
• Narrow-angle glaucoma
• Impaired kidney or liver function
• Congestive heart failure (CHF)
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Psychosis
• Any other heart, lung, or liver condition

Are you a good fit for oral conscious sedation? Call Boca Dental at (561) 391-6606 today or contact us online to speak to an oral sedation dentist and find out!