Afraid of dentists? looking for a sedation dentistry near by? In the past, dentists had to rely upon general anesthesia to help patients who had long or painful treatments prescribed. Now, however, IV sedation offers a new way to avoid having to put a patient completely under. With IV sedation, the anesthesia is delivered through a vein in the arm that allows the dentist to adjust the amount of sedation as needed. This method of delivery also allows you to be semi-awake during the procedure so that you can communicate with your dentist without feeling any pain or remembering much of what happened. Naturally, your biggest concern is whether it is safe or not, and you can use this guide to feel comfortable with your pain relief choice.
Ask About the Dentist’s Training and Experience
IV sedation is an area of specialization in dentistry that is not commonly covered in regular dental school. That means that your dentist must undergo additional training beyond their years in dental school to learn how to safely administer medication through an IV to patients. To earn their certification, your dentist must complete hours of hands-on training and demonstrate competence with the procedure. Make sure that your dentist is certified to perform IV sedation dentistry in West Hollywood, and ask about how much experience they have performing safe procedures.
Be Sure to Disclose Any Health Concerns
One of the benefits of IV sedation is that the medication can be adjusted to a person’s needs. This allows older adults and people with certain health conditions an option that may not be possible with general anesthesia. However, you still need to let your dentist know about any heart or respiratory conditions hat you have had in the past or currently. Your dentist will provide you with a list of health questions. Answer these truthfully so that they can take steps to address any risk factors that might apply to your situation.
Understand How IV Sedation Works
The procedure involved with IV sedation dentistry in West Hollywood is fairly simple. Once the small catheter is placed in your arm, the medicine is administered, and it takes effect quickly. In most cases, this only adds a few extra minutes to common dental procedures, yet the ability to do things such as have a wisdom tooth extracted is worth it. Depending upon the medication that is administered, you may feel groggy or fall asleep. While you will be in a relaxed state of mind, your dentist may also administer other medications to further reduce your chances of feeling pain such as a local anesthetic. Once the catheter is removed from your arm, the medication begins to wear off, but it could take a few hours for you to fully feel normal again. For this reason, your dentist will recommend that you have a ride home from the appointment to further increase your safety.
Safety should always be of the highest concern during any type of dental procedure, and dentists who perform IV sedation take their role seriously. Now that you understand how safe this type of sedation is, you can look forward to taking advantage of the pain relief and relaxation this service offers for finally restoring the health of your teeth.
