Health Information Blog

Oral sedation is a technique that is used in dentistry to reduce the fear and anxiety people have about dental treatment and the side effects and consequences effects of it. The fear of dentists and dental procedures often leads to anxiety about a dental treatment. There are various sedative techniques that can help to reduce dental anxiety and fear which make the dental treatment process easier for both for the patient and the dentist.

Sedatives are drugs that establish a calm and relaxed state in the mental functions of a person and they are administered in numerous ways. Oral and intravenous sedation techniques are the most frequently used techniques that are used for sedation. Although the technique of intravenous sedation is an effective and safe method of administration, the method of oral sedation has recently gained in popularity primarily because the use of needles is avoided.

Oral sedation works such that the patient is totally unaware of anything that is being done in their mouth throughout the dental treatment process while patient is totally unaware of that being done in their mouth while still maintaining consciousness in the patient, to maintain safety and to make sure that the patient doesn’t wind up in an unconscious state. It is not used to anesthetize tissues. People normally think that sedation will prevent pain that results from the dental treatment. However, sedation is not used for that reason. It simply causes the mind to relax and increases the level of confidence in their dentist.

Oral sedation has numerous other names but they all mean nearly the same thing. These names include needless sedation, oral conscious sedation, and sedation dentistry.

Anesthesia is a completely different concept of than oral sedation. The use of anesthesia is a technique that is used to block the pain signals that are sent through nerves in the body. Thus, if a treatment is being performed that is painful, the anesthesia blocks the pain signals and the patient doesn’t experience any pain. The dental oral sedation technique doesn’t block any of the pain signals from the nerves, but simply temporarily block any anxiety or fear the patient may experience when they see the syringes and other instruments. Patients who are sedated can’t be treated without first giving them anesthesia. Without the administration of anesthesia, the patient would still experience pain.

Dental Oral Sedation Benefits

There are Advantages to Oral Sedation:

1) The patient has the advantage of sedation and at the same time does not have the fees associated with an I.V. sedation.

2) It is generally safer and easier to monitor

3) Almost all people respond very favorably to orally administered sedation.

Oral medications Used

The most common drug is Halcion (also known as triazolam); it is very closely related to Valium chemically. The differences are that with Halcion there is a much deeper relaxation and amnesia effect than there is with Valium.

For children the most common drug is Versed (also known as Medazolan).

Dr. Lu is dedicated to making a positive impact on everyone who walks through his door. For more information about sedation dentistry, please check the websites: sedation dentist OR oral sedation.