Sedation Dentistry

Your dentist may recommend sedation if you suffer from:

• Dental anxiety
• Difficulty controlling movements
• Resistance to local anesthetics
• Dental sensitivity

For patients who have had traumatic dental experience or who are afraid of needles, sedation dentistry offers a way to pursue necessary dental treatment without triggering anxiety attacks. Even if you are comfortable in the dentist's chair, dental sedation can make it easier to undergo longer appointments for extensive dental work.

Typically, sedation dentistry is combined with a local anesthetic to ensure you are comfortable throughout your procedure.

Be sure to disclose your complete medical history to your dentist before receiving sedation, including any medications you are currently taking and any drug allergies. While sedation is typically reserved for patients 18 years of age or older, certain pediatric patients may qualify, though treatment must be done under the supervision of a pediatric sedation dentist. 

The most common forms of sedation used in a dentistry include:

• Nitrous oxide for light sedation
• Oral sedatives for conscious sedation
• Intravenous (IV) medication for deep sedation

Typically, general anesthesia is only administered by a certified anesthesiologist. To maximize safety, procedures performed under general anesthesia take place in a hospital, rather than the dentist’s office. However, some dentists are certified to administer general anesthesia.