Sedation Dentistry

Conscious sedation or general anesthesia may be considered to make you feel as comfortable as possible during your oral surgery procedure. Our office offers a variety of sedation techniques to help you experience a relaxed state during your surgery. It is the philosophy of our practice that the surgeon must concentrate on the surgical procedure at hand without distraction. As such, we provide office-based IV sedation utilizing a board certified anesthesiologist. If indicated, Dr. Hilmi will treat patients in a hospital setting where general anesthesia will be administered (i.e. the patient will be rendered completely unconscious during the oral surgery).

If you are extremely anxious about your oral surgery procedure (wisdom teeth or other) don’t be embarrassed and let us know. The purpose of conscious sedation oral surgery is to help patients achieve a state of relaxation so they can feel as comfortable as possible during procedures.

Conscious sedation keeps you alert enough to cooperate with the doctor during oral surgery. That is because the sedatives do not put you to sleep, but rather in a deeply relaxed state with some amnesia effects that cause you to forget the procedure.

Dr. Hilmi will determine which sedation method is best for you based on your level of fear and anxiety about the surgery and the kind of procedure you are undergoing. Of course, you will also have input.

Oral sedation is very common and one of the easiest types of sedation available. If selected you will be prescribed a pill that should be taken about one hour before your surgery and will deliver a deep relaxation state that makes you feel as though you slept through your surgery.

IV sedation takes effect quicker than oral sedation and has the potential to put you in a deeper state of relaxation. If you are uncomfortable with needles, though, consider that the anti-anxiety drug is administered intravenously through a needle.

Nitrous oxide is the mildest form of sedation and slowly induces the patient into a state of relaxation.

With all of the above sedation methods available, keep in mind that a local anesthetic will still be used at the site where the surgery will take place, since sedatives provide anxiety relief and are not local pain relievers.

The doctor may decide general anesthesia is the best choice for you. General anesthesia will make you completely unconscious and unaware of your surroundings.The general anesthesia would be administered as an outpatient at our local hospital.

You will need to make arrangements to have someone take you home after your oral surgery if you opt for sedation as part of your procedure since the sedative will take time to wear off. It will also help if someone can monitor and assist you at home for at least a few hours after your surgery is complete.

Sedation Dentistry

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