Oral Sedation
ABOUT ORAL SEDATION
Oral-conscious sedation involves taking a prescription anti-anxiety medication prior to your appointment. The medication will keep you awake and able to respond to instructions while still feeling incredibly relaxed and at ease. Stop avoiding the dentist because of fear or anxiety with oral-conscience sedation at SmileArts Dental. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about your sedation options to keep you comfortable and relaxed during a routine dental exam and cleaning or a longer procedure.
BEST CANDIDATES
In general, oral-conscious sedation can help anyone who is afraid of going to the dentist. Before you are prescribed a medication for oral-conscious sedation, our team will need to complete a thorough consultation to determine if you are a good candidate. We will go over your medical history, current medications, and other factors to ensure you can safely take an anti-anxiety medication and decide which type will be best for your needs. Oral-sedation may not be a good option if you have heart or respiratory problems, are pregnant, or have had a reaction to benzodiazepines in the past.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Your oral-conscious sedation medication will be prescribed during your consultation, so you can have it filled before your procedure. Since you will need to take it before arriving, you should arrange to have a responsible adult take you to your appointment. With light oral-conscious sedation, you will remain relaxed but still be awake and alert. With moderate sedation, you will also stay conscious, but your memory of what happened will start to get a bit spotty. You may fall into a light sleep but should wake up easily. Our dedicated team will go to great lengths to make sure you feel safe and cared for during your procedure.
TREATMENT AFTERCARE
You will need to arrange for someone to take you home and stay with you for at least 2 – 4 hours while the medication wears off. A SmileArts team member or doctor will speak with you (during your consultation) about possible side effects from the specific medication prescribed for you. Most commonly, patients experience temporary headaches, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting after oral-conscious sedation. The risk of nausea and vomiting can be reduced by having a light meal before taking the medication and eating a small snack about one hour after your procedure. If you are concerned about symptoms after you have returned home, please don’t hesitate to contact our support staff for reassurance.
THE SMILEARTS COMMITMENT
If you have dental insurance, our team will contact your carrier to determine your benefits regarding oral-conscience sedation methods. From there, we can better estimate your out-of-pocket costs. If you don't have dental insurance, our skilled support staff will go over payment methods accepted by our office, including medical financing to make your sedation and treatment more affordable.