IV sedation tends to be the method of choice for patients who don’t want to be aware of the procedure – you “don’t want to know” or if you are anxious or fearful of dental procedures. This method of sedation is often known as ‘twilight’ or ‘sleep’ anesthesia. IV sedation dentistry works well for many patients who have an anxiety or phobia related to dental procedures. It enables a higher level of sedation than can be reached with oral or nitrous oxide sedation. This type of sedation tends to be the method of choice by those who are having complex dental work or oral surgery, especially those who prefer to complete long treatments in just one visit.
Most healthy individuals who do not have severe sleep apnea are good candidates for IV sedation. The onset of action is very rapid, and drug dosage and level of sedation can be tailored to meet the individual’s needs. Unlike general anesthesia or deep sedation, conscious IV sedation does not really introduce any compromises, per se, in terms of carrying out the actual procedures, because people are conscious and they can cooperate with instructions, and there is no airway tube involved.
Both effective and highly reliable, IV sedation dentistry is extremely safe when the process is supervised by a specially-trained anesthesia dentist. Here at RVSC, Dr. Cole J. Johnson DDS received special training during his 1 year residency in Birmingham, AL. Additionally, Jo Johnson RN helps monitor sedation and has worked in the hospital setting (ER and Labor Delivery) for 10 + years. IV sedation is a very popular option when undergoing dental treatments ranging from a routine cleaning to more extensive dental work.
