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IV Sedation Dentistry
City Dental Centers has 6 dentist offices conveniently located throughout Southern California and offers IV sedation dentistry services.
Whatever California dental services you’re in need of, the dedicated dental teams at City Dental Centers are here to provide you with the highest quality dental services and make your dentist appointments as pleasant as possible using IV sedation when necessary.
Info About IV Sedation
What Is IV Sedation?
IV (intravenous) sedation is the introduction of relaxing anti-anxiety medication into the patient’s bloodstream via a small needle into a vein. This type of sedation allows for a deeper level of sedation than certain other dental sedation methods available like Nitrous Oxide gas. It also produces a more relaxed state that can be safely sustained throughout the duration of a procedure.
Each patient and procedure is different. As a result, the dosage amount for the IV sedation drugs varies on a case-by-case basis.
Why Would Someone Need Dental IV Sedation?
IV sedation is typically used in major dental procedures, such as wisdom tooth removal and root canal therapy. It helps for communication, unlike general anesthesia: While the level of sedation is deep, the patient is still able to reply to verbal prompts from their dentist, while still in a state of stress- and anxiety-free calmness.
How Does IV Sedation Work?
First, the patient is given anti-nausea medication to help prevent them from vomiting during the procedure. Next, they’ll receive medications to reduce anxiety and saliva production while making them drowsy. Finally, they’ll be administered the sedative.
Depending on the procedure, a dentist may administer a numbing agent into the mouth as well, so the patient doesn’t feel anything.
In the dentist’s chair, the patient may not be aware of what’s going on, and will likely fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, thereby allowing the dentist to perform the procedure.
When the dentist has finished the procedure, another drug will be administered to bring the patient out of sedation. After these simple procedures, a patient can usually go about the rest of their day as usual, without feeling too drowsy or groggy.
