Types of Dental Sedation and Which Is Right for You

Dental anxiety is a fairly common affliction with more than one-third of people in the United States suffering from anxiety and fear related to dental care and about 12% having a phobia that causes extreme fear. Unfortunately, the negative emotions often triggered by dental appointments can prevent many people from getting the necessary dental care. This means that oral health problems often go undetected until they have become more severe and require more complex, invasive, and lengthy treatment.  

Thankfully, modern dental care offers patients the option of sedation dentistry which is designed to help alleviate the fear, stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions triggered by dental care to help patients relax in the dental chair while achieving and maintaining optimal oral health.  

What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is a branch of dental care that focuses on alleviating fear, stress, and anxiety in patients before, during, and after their dental appointments. Sedation dentistry uses a variety of approaches to ease anxiety in patients. These different approaches range from pharmaceuticals to relaxation techniques, and they can be used to achieve different levels of relaxation based on the patient's needs and treatment recommendations.  

When Is Sedation Dentistry Used?

Sedation dentistry can be useful in a variety of situations, such as when:

• Patients fear the dentist

• Patients experience anxiety and stress at the dentist's office

• Patients worry about visiting the dentist's office

• Patients have a history of negative experiences during dental care

• Patients have a sensitive gag reflex

• Patients need lengthy, complex, or invasive procedures

• Patients have special needs such as difficulty with sensory processing

The Levels and Types of Dental Sedation

Light Sedation: Conscious Sedation

What Is Light Conscious Sedation?

Also known as nitrous oxide sedation, light conscious sedation is achieved by administering nitrous oxide (laughing gas) through a breathing mask. The nitrous oxide is fast-acting, and its effects can be felt within moments of administration.

With light conscious sedation, patients feel happy and relaxed during their treatments, experiencing mild feelings of euphoria and a slight tingling sensation in the limbs. They remain fully awake, alert, and able to communicate throughout their appointments. They remember the care they received after their appointments.  

Does Light Conscious Sedation Have Any Side Effects?

Side effects from nitrous oxide are not common, but they can occur. Some patients experience temporary headaches, agitation, nausea, or vomiting. Once the nitrous oxide is out of the patient's body, the side effects stop.  

Can You Drive After Light Conscious Sedation?

The effects of nitrous oxide gas are fairly short-lived. Once your dentist turns off the gas flow, the effects of the sedative will wear off after about five to 10 minutes. Patients are able to drive home once the effects have worn off.  

Moderate Sedation: Oral Conscious Sedation

What Is Oral Conscious Sedation?

Oral conscious sedation achieves a moderate level of sedation with the use of orally administered prescription sedatives. The medications most commonly used belong to the Benzodiazepine class (such as diazepam or lorazepam). With oral sedation, the patient takes their medication about an hour before their appointment is scheduled to begin. This helps to relax patients before their appointments and ensures they are feeling the full effects during treatment.  

With moderate oral sedation, patients remain awake and able to communicate, but they feel extremely relaxed and sleepy. Some patients might fall asleep during treatment, as a result. Typically, patients do not fully remember what happened during their dental appointment.  

Does Oral Conscious Sedation Have Any Side Effects?

The most common side effect of oral sedation is drowsiness. Patients typically feel sleepy for at least four to six hours and can sometimes experience these feelings for a full day after taking the sedative. Additional side effects can include dizziness, dry mouth, headache, nausea, vomiting, slow reflexes, and low blood pressure. In rare cases, patients can experience an allergic reaction to the prescription medication. Our dentist and your pharmacist will provide you with information about signs of a rare adverse reaction.  

Can You Drive After Oral Conscious Sedation?

Since the effects of oral conscious sedation wear off slowly, it is not safe to drive, operate equipment, or use potentially dangerous machinery within 24 hours of taking your medication. Patients must arrange transportation to and from their oral conscious appointment and plan to stay home and rest for the remainder of the day.  

Patients should also avoid consuming alcohol for 24 hours, as this can be dangerous when mixed with sedative medications.  

Deep Sedation and General Anesthesia: Intravenous (IV) Sedation

What Is Deep Sedation?

Deep sedation and general anesthesia are administered intravenously by an anesthesiologist. These techniques achieve the deepest levels of sedation. Under deep sedation or general anesthesia, patients are unconscious throughout their procedures. They have no memory of the procedure and often only remember limited details of events that transpire immediately before the administration of sedatives.  

Typically, intravenous sedation is only recommended in the most extreme cases and for more invasive oral surgical procedures, such as the extraction of embedded wisdom teeth.  

Does Deep Sedation Have Any Side Effects?

Deep sedation can have some side effects including:

• Dizziness and lightheadedness

• Headaches

• Nausea and vomiting (food and water must be restricted before the appointment for safety)

• Confusion

• Dry mouth

• Shivering

Less common side effects can also occur, such as blurry vision, itching, and achy muscles. In rare cases, patients might experience a change in heart rate, change in blood pressure, or a reduced rate of breath.  

Can You Drive After Deep Sedation?

The side effects and drowsiness associated with deep sedation can last into the next day, so patients must arrange transportation to and from their appointments in addition to making arrangements to spend the remainder of the day, resting at home in bed.  

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?

Yes, sedation dentistry is safe. Before recommending a type of sedation or prescribing any sedative medications, our dentist will review the patient's complete medical history, list of current medications and supplements, and other health concerns to ensure proper dosage and patient safety.  

Additional Calming, Relaxation Modalities Used in Sedation Dentistry

In addition to pharmaceutical-assisted relaxations, sedation dentists commonly incorporate additional techniques and modalities for helping patients relax while mitigating feelings of anxiety. These might include:

• Non-Verbal Communication - The ability to signal to your dentist when you need a break can help ease stress during treatments.

• Treatment Breaks - Sedation dentists allow patients to take breaks during treatment whenever needed to help them remain calm.  

• Aromatherapy - Certain smells like lavender or peppermint can help patients achieve a sense of calm.

• Comfort Items - Weighted blankets or heating pads can help patients feel safer in the dental chair.  

• NuCalm - This stress-relief system pairs noise-canceling headphones and an eye mask with calming audio journeys to help patients reduce sensory input and anxiety through meditation.

• Bi-Tapp - A simple electronic device produces gentle bi-lateral tapping sensations. These sensations activate the brain and ease the fight-or-flight response associated with dental anxiety.  

Our Communication-Forward Approach to Sedation Dentistry

In addition to these stress-reducing approaches, sedation dentists place a strong emphasis on patient communication. If you suffer from dental anxiety, do not hesitate to tell us about your experiences. When we have a better understanding of your fears and anxiety, we can better help you access dental care by creating a personalized stress-reducing strategy. Our ultimate goal is to help all of our patients access essential dental care while creating more positive treatment experiences.  

How to Determine Which Type of Sedation Dentistry Is Right for You

The type of dental sedation that is right for you depends on several factors including:

• Your level of dental anxiety

• Your current health and medical history

• The complexity, length, and invasiveness of your upcoming procedure

Our dentist can work with you to determine the most appropriate type and level of dental sedation that will be effective for you based on these factors and your treatment preferences.  

Our Sedation Dentist Can Help You Finally Feel at Ease in the Dental Chair

If you suffer from dental anxiety or fear visiting the dental office, don't let your worries keep you from achieving optimal oral health while supporting your overall wellness and quality of life. With sedation dentistry, even individuals with the most severe cases of dentophobia can access care - without anxiety - thanks to sedation dentistry.  

If you believe that sedation dentistry can improve your dental care experience and help you access vital professional dental care, then we welcome you to contact our office. We can talk with you about your sedation options over the phone or schedule you for a sedation dentistry consultation with one of our experienced dentists.  

To learn more or request a consultation, please contact Sinclair Smiles in Encinitas, California today.

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