Conscious Sedation

Some people aren't very nervous about getting dental treatment. Others find it hard to enter the dentist's office. If you are nervous or fearful about dental treatment, sedation can help relax you. It will make your visit easier and more pleasant.

Dentists who provide sedation to their patients must be specially trained. For oral and maxillofacial surgeons, this is part of their hospital training.

Talk to your dentist about your anxiety. He or she may not know about your fears. If your dentist doesn't know you are anxious, he or she may not suggest sedation.

Talking with your dentist about your fears may be enough to make you feel better. If not, your dentist can give you sedative medicine. Your dentist can even prescribe a sedative for the night before your appointment, in case you have trouble sleeping. If you do take a sedative drug the night before your appointment, you should arrange to have someone drive you to and from the office. Also, avoid alcohol and over-the-counter sleep aids. They can react with sedatives.

Many sedatives can be used during your treatment. Nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas) is started just before treatment begins. Diazepam and other similar drugs can be given 30 to 60 minutes before treatment. These drugs do not provide pain relief. You will still get a shot to numb the area.

Your dentist can provide different levels of sedation. The levels depend on the types of sedatives and their doses. Your dentist might consider deeper levels of sedation for complex procedures or more anxious patients.

Children often receive antihistamine-type sedatives (such as hydroxyzine). These can cause a dry mouth that may last a few hours. Children should be encouraged to drink. This will make the mouth and throat feel better.

If you are taking medication for psychiatric conditions, talk to your dentist before receiving any sedative.