Sedation Dentistry

I.V. (Intravenous) Sedation

IV, or intravenous, sedation is the most profound of all the many techniques used in sedation dentistry to calm hyper nervous dental phobic patients, those with severe psychological fear of dentists and dental treatment, so they can comfortably receive the oral care and treatment they need without any undue stress that they would normally suffer from just thinking about dental treatment. Most patients who are this dental phobic find it hard just imagining what their dental treatment will be like never mind actually trying to obtain any treatment. Their phobia is so profound that they can sometimes place themselves in life threatening situations because they are not able to seek and obtain the dental treatment that they need. Fortunately IV, or intravenous, sedation can allow them to feel totally comfortable in seeking and obtaining dental treatment before something catastrophic occurs that cause them pain, loss time from work, possible hospitalizations, and very extensive and therefore expensive treatment.

IV, or intravenous, sedation can be administered either in the dental office or in a hospital setting. In the dental office the intravenous sedation can be administered by the dentist if they are certified to do or in many dental offices today the dentist will have a physician come in the day of the patient’s treatment and the physician will administer the intravenous sedation. The latter is becoming so popular that many physicians limit their practice to traveling from dental office to dental office to administer intravenous sedation for severely dental phobic patients. Intravenous sedation allows patients to be totally unaware of their surroundings and therefore totally oblivious to the treatment triggers, such as the sound of the dental high speed handpiece or the ominous appearance of the dental instruments the doctor uses, that would normally cause them the tremendous anxiety they are accustom to feeling in the dental office. Not being able to hear the dental high speed handpiece, see the sharp and pointed dental instruments, or smell the odors of the dental office gives these dental phobic patients peace of mind and allows them to relax and receive the care they need.

Intravenous sedation is the deepest and most profound type of dental sedation and is reserved for only the most severely phobic patients who did not respond well to the other dental sedation techniques. Intravenous sedation is the last line of sedation and should be used sparingly and only when all other techniques have been tried and have failed for the patient. This technique has the highest risk associated with it compared to all the other dental sedation techniques available. It is absolutely essential for the patient’s safety for the dentist and physician to get a complete medical history from the patient. The patient must disclose all the medication they are taking, both prescription and over the counter, and any and all medical condition they have and or are being treated for. This is of the utmost importance and the patient’s compliance cannot be stressed enough, this could literally be a matter of life and death to the patient. With intravenous sedation the patient will need to make alternative transportation arrangements than them driving themselves to and from the dental appointment. The pharmaceutical drugs used in intravenous sedation will cause the patient to feel drossy for some time after the conclusion of their administration and therefore make it unsafe for the patient to drive himself or herself home after their treatment appointment.

Intravenous dental sedation not only has the highest risks associated with it than any other dental sedation technique, it also has the highest cost of any dental sedation technique. Therefore it should be used only in the most severely dental phobic patients. For intravenous sedation the doctor has to establish an intravenous line, one that is through the patient’s vein, through which the medications are delivered. With this technique anybody no matter how dental phobic or anxious they are can be treated in complete comfort because while they are under the influence of the intravenous medications they are totally unaware of their environment and what is happening to them. When used judiciously intravenous dental sedation can be a savior to those who otherwise couldn’t get the oral health care and treatment that they need. In the right case it is the only viable dental sedation option.