Has your dentist suggested that you be sedated for an upcoming treatment? If you have never been sedated before, you may be curious about what to expect. What does dental sedation feel like? How can you be sure that it is right for you? This blog post provides helpful information to prepare you for the road ahead.
What Is Dental Sedation?
The goal of dental sedation is to help patients stay relaxed and comfortable throughout treatments. It uses medications to create positive feelings in the body and minimizes its pain response. Sedation allows dentists to work as efficiently as possible and provides a pleasant experience for patients.
Here are some popular forms of dental sedation:
- Nitrous oxide. This is a gas that you inhale through a nasal mask.
- Oral conscious sedation. You take a sedative pill prior to your procedure, and it acts quickly to help you relax.
- Intravenous (IV) sedation. With this method, sedative medications are administered directly into the bloodstream.
What Does Sedation Feel Like?
The sensations you will experience while you are sedated depend on the type of sedation that your dentist uses.
- Nitrous oxide tends to provide feelings of calmness. Some patients also feel giddy and even get a case of the giggles. Hence, nitrous oxide is sometimes called “laughing gas.” A light, floating sensation is normal with this type of sedation.
- Oral conscious sedation has more powerful relaxation effects than nitrous oxide. Your body may feel heavy, and you are likely to experience drowsiness. You might drift off to sleep, but you will remain alert enough to respond to instructions and questions from your dental team.
- IV sedation produces feelings similar to what you might experience with oral conscious sedation. However, it can be even more powerful. Some people call it “twilight sedation” because it commonly causes patients to fall asleep. (However, it does not cause unconsciousness.)
Both oral conscious sedation and IV sedation can last for several hours after your appointment, so you should arrange your schedule to allow for plenty of rest after you get home.
Is Dental Sedation Right for You?
In most cases, the decision to be sedated is a personal one. If you are nervous about your treatment, you have physical limitations that make it difficult for you to sit still, or your dentist expects your procedure to take a long time, sedation can be a valuable asset.
On the other hand, if you choose not to be sedated for any reason, your decision is unlikely to affect the quality of the care you receive. The same is true if you have allergies or medical conditions that make sedation unsafe for you.
Sedation could make your next dental treatment as stress-free as possible. It might even change the way you think about dentistry!
Meet the Practice
The large team of dentists and specialists at Wellesley Dental Group are proud to offer multiple forms of sedation with the goal of helping patients experience an easy oral care experience. If you would like to know more about sedation or are ready to book a consultation, contact our office at 781-691-4914.