Our office works diligently to keep everyone healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19
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Our office works diligently to keep everyone healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19
read moreAs part of our Sedation Series, we have previously explored Oral Conscious Sedation, which is one of the most common and popular methods of relaxing in the dentist’s chair. While oral conscious sedation is ideal for many common dental procedures, other forms of sedation may be better in certain circumstances.
Patients who have severe dental anxiety or are undergoing a complicated dental procedure may need “deep sedation.” This method of IV (Intravenous) sedation typically leads to a total loss of consciousness, though you can still breathe on your own. Here are a few common questions regarding deep sedation:
Deep sedation induces the loss of consciousness, using sedative drugs. Essentially, it “puts you to sleep.” You can still breathe on your own, and it is possible for the doctor to speak to you and get a response, but it may be extremely difficult to do so. In some cases, you may need a ventilator to assist you in breathing properly.
After receiving deep sedation, you will not remember anything about your procedure. You will have a total loss of consciousness, and likely forget everything that happened during your treatment and shortly thereafter. For this reason, you will need to arrange a ride home after your appointment.
An IV is used to deliver the sedative drug directly to your bloodstream, and to maintain the proper dosage throughout the procedure, to ensure that you do not wake up or regain consciousness and that your unconscious state is properly maintained.
As mentioned previously, you likely will not remember anything about your procedure, and your short-term memory may be somewhat impaired. Other common side effects of deep sedation may include:
These side effects may persist for a few hours, or until the next day. Because of this, you cannot drive yourself home from your procedure if you have deep sedation.
Beyond these, major side effects are quite rare, but you should still discuss your complete medical history with our Seattle dentists at your procedure, to ensure that you are a good candidate for deep sedation.
There are some medical conditions, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or obesity which can make deep sedation riskier, as it may be more difficult for you to breathe on your own.
In most cases, though, deep sedation is completely safe.
Whether you’re in Columbia City, Beacon Hill, or elsewhere in Seattle, Green Leaf Dental is the ideal choice for adults and children of all ages in need of sedation dentistry. If you’d like to schedule an appointment and learn more about your sedation options, contact us now at (206) 316-2351, or stop by at 4219 S Othello Street, #105-D&E, Seattle, WA 98118.
Proudly serving patients in Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, and surrounding cities in Seattle.
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