Connect with us:
Call Us Today! 985-327-6501

Sedation

blog-featured-image

The best kind of dentistry is comfortable dentistry. At Magnolia Dental, we go the extra mile to ensure a pleasant experience – from our warm and welcoming spa-like setting to our friendly, gentle care. Are you anxious about dental treatment? We understand that some of our patients still need extra help relaxing, and we are pleased to offer sedation dentistry as a safe option for dental anxiety. Doctors Quartano and Staples are certified to administer oral conscious sedation, so that you can comfortably receive the treatment you need and deserve with little to no memory of the visit. This will also provide an opportunity for you to combine multiple visits into less visits!

Commonly referred to as “sleep dentistry”, sedation dentistry works to ease any anxiety and discomfort associated with dental procedures. Contrary to its common name, sedation dentistry usually allows patients to remain conscious, but relaxed during their procedures. However, there are different levels of sedation offered that can have varying effects.

 

Did You Know?

Dental sedation is not solely used to mask pain, rather it has many other applications. For starters, dental sedation can simply be used to relax you and calm your anxieties about the dentist. It can also be used if you have a reactive gag reflex or if you don’t like sitting still for extended periods of time. Finally, dental sedation can make it feel like your dental appointment just flies by.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is sedation dentistry right for me?

To find out if sedation dentistry is right for you, schedule a consultation with our dentists at Magnolia Dental today. However, sedation dentistry might be right for you if you have:

  • An overactive gag reflex
  • Highly sensitive teeth
  • Don’t like to sit still in the dentist chair
  • Have a low tolerance for pain
  • Need a large amount of work done
  • Have dental anxiety

Woman holding a glass of water and a white pill

What sedation options does Magnolia Dental offer?

Magnolia Dental offers inhaled sedation, oral sedation, and IV sedation. Inhaled sedation uses a special mask that fits over your nose to deposit nitrous oxide. Within minutes of inhaling nitrous oxide, you will begin to feel relaxed. During your procedure, the amount of gas can easily be adjusted as needed, offering minimal to moderate sedation.  

Oral sedation uses a Halcion pill given an hour before treatment and sometimes also the night before. Halcion is a sleep aid that will produce feelings of drowsiness. Depending on the dosage given, it can achieve minimal to moderate levels of sedation.

The final option, IV sedation, delivers sedation directly to your vein, allowing the effects to be immediate and easily controlled during the procedure. While under sedation, you will not be bothered by anything happening around you and will generally have little to no memory of the procedure. You will, however, be conscious and able to respond to questions. IV sedation is usually offered to obtain a moderate level of sedation and produces deeper relaxation effects than inhaled or oral sedation.  

 

Is sedation dentistry safe?

Sedation dentistry is considered to be safe for most people. To ensure that sedation dentistry is safe for you, our dentists will discuss your medical history and current medications prior to administering any kind of sedation.

Since IV sedation offers a deeper level of sedation, it may not be safe for certain individuals. People who are pregnant, have allergies to benzodiazepines, are intoxicated, have CNS depression, or certain types of glaucoma diagnosis cannot undergo IV sedation. Furthermore, individuals with psychosis, sleep apnea, advanced age, or who have lung, kidney, or live problems will need to proceed with caution and discuss these conditions with our dentists prior to receiving IV sedation.

A plate with a blue alarm clock with a fork on one side and a knife on the other side all on a blue background

How do I prepare for an appointment using sedation dentistry?

The preparations for your dental appointment will vary based on the sedation method being used. The most important preparation for all three methods is fasting. Although fasting is not required for nitrous oxide, it is generally recommended to avoid eating for two hours before your procedure. This is to prevent nausea or vomiting during the procedure. For oral sedation, you will need to avoid eating and drinking for six hours before the procedure, and with IV sedation, you will need to avoid eating and drinking for eight hours.

For oral and IV sedation, you will also need to find someone to drive you home after the procedure, as your procedure will be cancelled if you are unable to do so. You may also be told to avoid taking certain medications the night before or morning of your procedure. Finally for oral sedation, you may be given some medication to take the night before or morning of.

 

What can I expect while under sedation?

While under sedation, you will experience feelings of calmness and drowsiness. You will also be indifferent to anything happening around you and should not experience anxiety of any kind. If you are using nitrous oxide, you may also experience feelings of euphoria. With moderate sedation, you may fall into a light sleep, however you will be easily awakened. All three sedation methods will allow you to be conscious and responsive.

 

What should I expect after my appointment?

The effects of nitrous oxide will wear off shortly after you stop inhaling the gas. Because of this, most people are able to drive themselves home after receiving inhaled sedation. However, you will want to discuss this with our dentists to make sure it’s safe.

Oral sedation usually lasts for approximately 1-2 hours, then the effects start to wear off. This is due to the fact that its initial effect occurs rapidly. However, when receiving oral sedation, most patients will need someone to drive them home after their procedure since Halcion can have residual impairment for about a day.  

Due to the nature of IV sedation, you will need to have someone drive you home after the procedure and keep an eye on you throughout the day until the sedation effects wear off completely.

 

For the highest quality dental treatments and sincere patient care, schedule a consultation with Dr. Ross Quartano and Zach Staples of Magnolia Dentistry today. Magnolia Dentistry provides dental services to the community of Covington, LA and surrounding areas.

Skip to content