IV Sedation Creates Comfortable Dental Experiences
Does the thought of seeing your dentist make you nervous? If so, you’re not alone. Dental anxiety is a highly common problem, affecting an estimated 50 to 80 percent of American adults. Dental anxiety can vary in intensity from mild to severe, but regardless of the intensity, dental anxiety can prevent you from getting necessary dental care.
Today, advances in dental techniques, equipment, and treatment options are helping patients overcome their dental anxiety and protect their oral health. Sleep dentistry has played a major role in making dental procedures more comfortable for all types of patients. IV sedation is one sleep dentistry option that helps patients feel calm and comfortable for the duration of their dental procedure.
What Is IV Sedation?
As the name suggests, IV sedation is a sleep dentistry method which your dentist will administer intravenously. While the thought of IV administration may be off-putting to patients who feel negatively about needles, most patients hardly feel any pain when their sedative is applied in this manner.
Benefits of Sleep Dentistry With IV Sedation
Pain Free — As with other forms of sleep dentistry, you won’t feel any pain after your sedative has been applied.
Awake & Responsive — IV sedation is a conscious sedation dentistry method, which means it won’t put you to sleep. You’ll remain awake and be responsive during the procedure, making it much safer than full anesthesia.
Relaxation & Limited Memory — With IV sedation, you’ll be deeply relaxed, not fully aware of your surroundings, and generally won’t remember the experience. The calming effect of the sedative takes effect almost immediately and begins to wear off shortly after the procedure is completed.
Easy Application & Dosage — IV sedation is easy to apply at our West Chester office and doesn’t require any scheduling on your part. If necessary, the dosage can be adjusted by your dentist during the procedure.
What To Expect From IV Sedation
When you come in for an appointment involving sleep dentistry, you can expect everything to follow the plan discussed before your appointment. We’ll make sure you’re comfortable, administer the proper sedation, and begin our procedure as you relax, stress-free. While IV sedation isn’t designed to put you to sleep, some patients become so relaxed that they fall asleep altogether.
Who Is A Candidate For IV Sedation?
Generally, this sleep dentistry technique is recommended for patients who:
- Require extensive or invasive dental work
- Are extremely anxious or fearful of dental visits
- Experience anxiety during teeth cleanings and dental procedures
- Have had traumatic experiences with dentists in the past
- Can be triggered by sounds and smells related to the dentist’s office
- Have painfully sensitive teeth
- Have a strong gag reflex
- Have difficulty getting numb or staying numb with local anesthesia
- Don’t think they’ll remember to take oral sedatives
The only way to know for sure if you are a good candidate for IV sedation is to ask your dentist about sleep dentistry before your procedure takes place. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Briglia to talk about your dental anxiety so he can recommend the appropriate sleep dentistry method. Existing patients can call Briglia Dental Group by dialing (610) 692 4440 and new patients can reach us by dialing (610) 615 0160.
