Relax with IV Sedation

IV sedation is an ideal option for patients who are scared of dental work or who have a low tolerance for pain. The anesthesia specialist can control the patient’s level of sedation because the medication is administered directly into the bloodstream, intravenously. The IV Sedation department works by appointment only.

Many dental practices refer to IV sedation as being “put to sleep”. This can be somewhat confusing, because the patient is not actually sleeping during the procedure. In fact, the patient is awake, but in a state of deep relaxation. During the procedure, the patient is able to respond to and follow instructions from the dentist, but will have virtually no memory of events that took place while sedated. This can make the patient feel as if they were asleep because the procedure seems to be over just as quickly as it started.

Recovery from this form of sedation is not complete at the end of the procedure. It is for this reason that we insist that you bring a responsible adult with you who can stay for the entire procedure. After your treatment, you should have your escort take you home so you can rest for the remainder of the day. Your escort should remain with you until you are fully alert. You should not perform any strenuous activities, and should not drive or operate any machinery for the rest of the day. Do not drink any alcohol or take other medications unless approved by the dentist. The effects should be gone by the time you wake up the next day.