Dismiss Dental Fears with Sedation

Oral Sedation Makes Dental Care Easy

Oral conscious sedation has provided access to care for hundreds of thousands of Canadians who otherwise would have been without the dental care they need. Oral sedation (usually in the form of pills) is also called ‘conscious sedation’ because it helps the patient remain conscious throughout the dental treatment while in a relaxed and anxiety-free condition. It is most commonly prescribed for relieving anxiety just before a dental appointment for patients with persisting fear and anxiety regarding dentistry.

Who is a good candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

While a lot of individuals admit they are fearful of a dental treatment to an  extent, some avoid dental care completely, compromising their dental and overall health. Between these 2 groups are those with moderate levels of fear and anxiety. This group may be able to tolerate minor dental treatment but have a higher level of anxiety towards dental procedures. For example, they may tolerate hygiene appointments, but may not be willing to accept other, more invasive treatments, such as a crown preparation or a root canal treatment.  Patients with a moderate to high level of fear and anxiety are more likely to miss, cancel, or avoid a dental appointment.

An anti-anxiety pill taken the night before the appointment, (an hour before going to bed) can help with falling asleep and getting some rest, to be better prepared for the treatment the next day.

Top Benefits of Selecting Oral Sedation

Easy to Administer: Oral sedation is the easiest form of sedation because you just have to swallow the pill an hour or so before your appointment, or the night before ( as advised by your dentist) and to help you feel relaxed and calm to take the treatment.

Effective: Oral sedation is effective in providing adequate relaxation and comfort levels to patients with mild to moderate anxiety.

No Needles: Many patients have a fear for needles, which are used when administering IV sedation. With oral sedation, there are no needles involved. It is a pill that needs to be taken orally.

Amnesia: Benzodiazepines (strong doses) category of drugs causes patients to have little to no memory of the procedure or recollect what went on while they were sedated like sounds and smells during the procedure.

Safe: Oral sedatives are regulated by FDA, so it’s extremely unlikely for you to experience any dangerous side effects.

Responsive: With oral sedation, although you may feel drowsy and you’re still awake and responsive. This helps the dentist, as you can cooperate with him during the procedure by responding to his/her instructions.

Low Cost: Oral sedation dentistry cost is close to that of inhalation (N2O) sedation, but much less than IV sedation. 

Patient Comfort and Time Saving: With oral sedation time seems to pass very quickly, allowing for long and complex dental procedure to be completed in a single extended appointment. This can save time for busy patients.

What to Expect from Oral Sedation?

Oral sedatives may cause side effects such as the depression of the cardiovascular and respiratory functions. Hence continuous monitoring of the patient’s vital signs is necessary during oral sedation procedures.

Potential risks of oral sedation arise when with the possibility of over sedation (by ignoring dosage instructions, or interaction with other drugs or alcohol). Elderly and medically compromised patients may react differently to oral sedatives, therefore the dentist must adjust the dosage accordingly to ensure patient’s safety.

Not Effective Immediately: With pill sedation,  it takes a while before it gets effective, therefore your dentist will tell you to take the sedative an hour or so in advance.

Sedation level is not easily changed: Because it takes some time for oral sedation to become effective, it could also take time to find the best dosage for you.

Driving to appointment not recommended: Oral sedation relaxes patients, but it is not safe to drive. Have someone accompany you to drive you back home from the dental office.

Why Choose Langley BC Dentist?

At Langley BC, Dentists have received comprehensive training from the Dental Organization for conscious sedation. The level of anesthesia experienced by each patient is generally different due to body weight, genetics, and previous drug history.  So the dentists evaluate each case considering his medical history and present health status before deciding on oral sedation and the levels of sedation to administer.