Neglecting your dental care can lead to serious problems with your oral health. If you experience intense dental fear or require extensive dental procedures, IV or intravenous sedation may be an option that is both comfortable and practical.
When it comes to comfort, the benefits of sedation dentistry include:
Designed to relax you, making you feel completely comfortable and eliminates your anxiety and pain
Reduced sensitivity to gag reflex and increase your ability to sit in a dental chair for long periods of time
Saves time with fewer dental visits needed
Different types of sedation options from light sedation (conscious during dental procedures), to deep conscious sedation, to being fully asleep.
There are four levels of sedation available:
Minimal sedation is a minimally depressed level of consciousness in which the patient responds normally to tactile stimulation and verbal command. It is produced by a pharmacological method such as an oral sedative that you can take before a dental procedure.
Moderate sedation is a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond purposefully to verbal commands, either alone or accompanied by light touch.
Deep sedation is a drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients cannot be easily aroused.
General anesthesia (GA) is a drug-induced loss of consciousness during which patients are not arousable, even by painful stimulation.
What Skillset Does My Dentist Need? Sedation Dentistry has helped many patients overcome the barriers created by profound anxieties about dental procedures that stand in the way of optimal oral health. In order to administer IV sedation, your dentist must undergo extensive training including a Medical Emergency and Oral Sedation/Nitrous Oxide course, on top of their dentistry training. Dr. Sandhu has completed the IV Conscious Sedation Program at the University of Alberta. There is a Standard of Practice that sets out the general professional responsibilities expected of the dentist and staff. It addresses specific standards for each level of sedation and other topics such as patient selection, medical history, consent process, office protocols, equipment, and recovery protocols. These additional courses are designed to meets the parenteral conscious sedation educational requirements of the Alberta Dental Association & College Standard of Practice for Sedation and Anesthesia. While that sounds complicated, what it means is that your dentist is qualified to safely administer and care for you while sedated so you have the peace of mind knowing you and your family will be safe during the sedation treatment. It also means they are focused on your care with a diverse set of personality traits that allow them to work both closely with patients and be successful managers of their practices. Visit Forest Lawn Dental Centre for Qualified Dental IV Sedation Good dentists go to great lengths to make their patients comfortable and relaxed without pain and that is the goal of IV sedation dentistry with Dr. Sandhu and his team at Forest Lawn Dental Centre. If anxiety has caused you to forgo a trip to the dentist, we invite you to contact Dr. Sandhu and his team to discuss the sedation options available to help you feel more comfortable, whether it be IV sedation or oral sedation. If you want to learn if sedation dentistry is right for you or your family, call Forest Lawn Dental Centre at 403-248-7778 today or drop by our Calgary dental office to schedule an appointment. We are located near major bus routes, and we offer free parking.