What To Know About Oral And IV Dental Sedation

Posted on: 15 January 2021

Do you need to have a dental procedure done that will require sedation dentistry? If so, you're likely wondering about the type of sedation that will be used. Here is what you should know about IV sedation and oral sedation.

Oral Sedation

When a dentist refers to oral sedation, it is when you take a medication that will help ease your anxiety about going to the dentist in general. You either take the medication prior to going to the dentist and have someone drive you to your appointment or take it at the dental office and wait for it to kick in. 

One of the issues with oral sedation is that people react to the medication in different ways. Some people will be completely relaxed and at ease while under oral sedation and won't remember anything from the procedure when it is finished. Meanwhile, another person may not really feel the effects at all from the medication and be completely aware of what is happening. Since oral sedation depends on how your body reacts to it, your dentist may use it in combination with another form of dental sedation to ensure that you are comfortable during your procedure. 

IV Sedation

IV sedation is a form of dental sedation that can better be controlled by your dentist. Rather than giving you a medication and waiting for it to kick in, a dentist can adjust IV sedation to get you to the perfect level of sedation for your dental procedure. This works great for the patient since IV sedation works fairly quickly and it will reduce the time waiting around for the sedation to work.

If you are the type of person that is scared of needles, you may be wondering how you can even get through the process of administering IV sedation. This is where oral sedation comes in since it can help make you feel more relaxed at the start of the IV sedation process. You may find yourself more willing to go through with a dental procedure due to a combination of both sedation methods.

One thing to be aware of is that a dentist has the ability to reverse the effects of your dental sedation if necessary. You won't be subjected to the effects of IV sedation until it naturally wears off since medications can be used to bring you back to your normal self. 

Ask your dentist if you have questions about oral or IV sedation.

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