Oral Sedation vs IV Sedation Dentistry – which is better?

Oral sedation vs IV sedation dentistry

Sedation dentistry is becoming more popular for people who fear the dentist, or need lots of scary dental procedures. So, what form of dental sedation is best for deeper sedation where you can go to sleep and wake up with all your dental work complete? Is Oral sedation or IV sedation dentistry better? The short answer is that IV sedation is better because deeper levels of sedation can be achieved in a very predictable, fast and safe manner. Oral sedation can be used, but the sedative dental drugs take longer to take effect and sometimes the level of sedation may not be right once the drug finally sets in. Hence oral is less predictable than intravenous dental sedation. The IV route is more safe because in the even of an emergency, drugs can very quickly be administered to reverse the sedation.

Most dentists cannot perform IV sedation because there is lots of additional training necessary due to the increased complexity of anesthesia care. It is also necessary for the dentist to have an additional license for IV sedation in addition to a license to be a dentist. So long story short, the dentist needs to be a dentist and also a dental anesthesiologist. All this is a good thing because anesthesiology should be taken very seriously because your safety is at risk.

Dr. Adams is a licensed dentist and dental anesthesiologist. He has been sedating patients for dental procedures for years. “it is amazing how well our sedation patients do when they sleep comfortably through their procedures…a lot less pain, swelling and problems than you would expert…decreased adrenaline and fear lead to much better outcomes.”

Give us a call for a sedation consultation

What are the different types of conscious sedation used for dental procedures?

Basically three types of dental sedations are used.

• IV sedation
• Oral sedation
• Nitrous oxide-oxygen inhalation sedation

What are different levels of dental conscious sedation?

Your sedation dentist can provide you 3 different levels of dental sedation in the dental office depending upon the level of anxiety and stress anticipated.

• Minimal level of sedation in which you will remain fully conscious and responsive to verbal communication and your body will function absolutely normal. You will completely remember your treatment procedure in the dental office,
• Moderate level of sedation in which you will feel somewhat drowsy and sleepy, respond to only purposeful verbal commands and touch sensations,
• Deep sedation in which you will respond to repeated verbal commands and painful sensations. You will only remember some part of your treatment procedure.

Which type of dental sedation should I choose for my dental implant placement or my TMJ surgery?

You must choose IV dental sedation for extensive surgical procedure involving bone cutting and drilling. On the other hand, oral sedation is less efficient as compared to IV sedation and is not considered sufficient for major surgeries. Oral drugs for sedation need to be given at least an hour before the dental surgeries and you must have someone to take you to the dental office. You will not be able to drive independently after taking oral sedatives. Oral sedation vs IV sedation dentistry – which is better depends on the anxiety of the patient and the length of the procedure and how scary the procedure is to the patient.

Which type of dental sedation is considered more effective?

Intravenous (IV) dental sedation provides the most effective and reliable sense of comfort and relief during the dental treatments especially wisdom tooth surgeries, dental implant placement and surgeries for TMJ disorders. You will not feel or remember anything after these lengthy surgeries under IV sedation.

IV dental sedation is effective due to the reason that the drug will directly enter into your blood. Due to its direct entry in bloodstream, it will quickly take effect and provide moderate to deep sedation depending upon the dose given. During surgery, another dose of IV sedative can be given if needed which is not possible in case of oral sedation.

Is there any difference between the cost of oral sedation and IV sedation?

IV sedation is expensive as compared to oral sedation but considered cost-effective when we compare its beneficial aspects. Multiple dental and oral procedures can be performed in a single visit under IV sedation which will make it cost-effective.

Why IV dental sedation is considered superior when compared to oral sedation?

IV sedation has many characteristics which make it superior over oral sedation

• Quick onset of sedative effect,
• Moderate to deep level of sedation,
• High degree of effectiveness due to the reason that medication directly enters bloodstream and take immediate action,

People avoid dental office visits for the treatment of their decayed teeth due to the fear of needle pricks, sharp dental chair lights and high noises of dental drills. Dental treatment phobia is the major reason of dental disease complications and loss of natural teeth all around the globe. People anticipate pain and discomfort during dental treatments such as dental fillings, tooth extractions, local anesthesia and dental implant surgeries.

Conscious sedation dentistry has changed the perspective of millions of people around the world regarding dental treatments. You can now get your dental phobia treated with your tooth filled at the same time. Conscious sedation will relax you during your time in the dental chair and will help out your dentist in providing the best dental care in a single visit. Oral sedation and intravenous sedation are the two most popular forms of deeper sedation at the dentist. IV is better than oral sedation for longer more complex dental procedures such as full mouth implants.

What is conscious sedation dentistry?

Conscious sedation dentistry involves the use of specific sedative drugs to calm you down and make you feel at home at the sedation dental clinic. Is oral better than IV sedation at the dentist? The level of conscious sedation depends upon the degree of dental phobia affecting different persons and the length of the procedure. Usually people want to have moderate to severe level of sedation which will help them forget all the noises and smells during their dental treatments.