No treatment is right for every patient, and we always take a personalized and patient-centered approach to dentistry services. However, if you experience dental anxiety, have sensitive teeth and gums, or need a complex treatment, you should at least consider oral conscious sedation. In this post, we’ll discuss what conscious sedation is, the potential drawbacks, and the many benefits.
How Does it Work?
Oral conscious sedation is administered via a prescription medication. Prior to your appointment, you’ll take the sedative pill as directed. In about half an hour, you should feel more relaxed. A friend or family member should drive you to our office, and we’ll begin your treatment once you’ve achieved the ideal level of sedation. Over the next 12 to 24 hours after treatment, you will continue to feel completely at peace, and you will likely want to rest. In most cases, people don’t even remember their trip to the dentist once the effects wear off.
Are there Disadvantages?
In order to use oral conscious sedation, you will need to take a prescription sedative pill before coming to our office. This means you should rely on a trusted friend or family member to drive you to and from the appointment. Additionally, people respond very differently to sedatives. Some will be drowsy and falling asleep while others experience less dramatic effects. If the oral conscious sedative does not deliver the desired result, we may need to reschedule your visit and try a different form of sedation. Finally, the effects of oral sedatives can be long lasting, so you may need to take one or more days away from work, school, or other activities as you recover.
What are the Benefits?
There are many benefits to oral conscious sedation. We recommend oral sedatives for our patients who need a little extra help feeling comfortable and relaxed through treatment. Some of the advantages of this form of sedation include:
- Ease of administration – simply take prescribed medication as directed
- Affordability – most sedative medications are covered by the patient’s prescription insurance, and they will only need to provide a copay out of pocket
- Safety – most people have no adverse effect after the medication wears off, and it’s easy to monitor vitals throughout the treatment process
Meet Dr. Feit
Your trusted Boca Raton prosthodontist, Steven H. Feit, DMD, is proud to deliver safe and effective oral conscious sedation. Dr. Feit has years of training and education under his belt that allow him to safely administer oral conscious sedation. If you’re interested in learning more about these services, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Feit or one of his team members.