What is Oral Conscious Sedation?

What is Oral Conscious Sedation?

Prior to your appointment for oral surgery, it helps to know that your treatment can be customized for your comfort. Whether you are planning to have your wisdom teeth extracted or a dental implant placed, it’s easy to become focused on the logistics of the procedure while forgetting to think about how you can relax during your visit. It is possible to make your surgical procedure pleasant and comfortable.

During your consultation visit, it’s okay to ask your sedation dentist about your options for managing discomfort and anxiety. Sedation dentists are specially trained in the dosage and administration of the medications that can make your experience soothing and pain-free.

A large percentage of patients of all ages find that oral conscious sedation provides the comfort and satisfaction that is necessary to calm frazzled nerves and make a one hour dental visit feel more like twenty minutes.

After confirming that there are no underlying health conditions, medications, or drug allergies, the proper combination of sedatives and pain relievers will be prescribed for you. This may include an anti-anxiety agent, muscle relaxer, or tranquilizer that is dispensed in the form of a small pill that can be swallowed at the beginning of the dental visit. The oral medication can be combined with an inhaled sedative such as laughing gas (nitrous oxide) and injectable local anesthetics.

The dosages and the combination of medications will be determined only after a thorough review of your medical history and personal tolerance for the planned procedure. The result will be a profoundly deepened level of relaxation, though you may remain awake and able to respond to the sights and sounds around you.

Oral conscious sedation preserves your ability to speak, hear, and move under your own power, while significantly reducing your anxiety level. Under the influence of sedatives, many patients choose to sleep lightly as their surgical procedure is completed.

Even patients who are not normally nervous during dental visits can enjoy the benefits of sedation dentistry. Find out more about your options by contacting Charlottesville Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center today.