Sedation Dentistry

Whether you’re having an implant put in or you’re simply a nervous patient, sedation dentistry makes your visit to our office a completely painless experience.  Dr. Seddon has received extensive training from dentists all over North America including Dr. Carl Misch, Dr. Brian Chan-Pong, and Dr. Stanley Malamed, and he has a great deal of experience in treating patients using sedation dentistry.

How Sedation Dentistry Works

Sedation is an excellent solution for patients undergoing oral surgery or for patients who experience anxiety when visiting the dentist.  Patients are given a sedative one hour prior to dental treatment to ensure the drug is effective during the appointment.  Patients with a high level of anxiety may also be prescribed another sedative that is to be taken the night before their appointment.  Dr. Seddon uses a benzodiazepine as the sedative of choice for his patients.  These medications have been used for many years and have undergone rigorous testing to ensure their safety and effectiveness.  Once the sedative has been administered, the patient will still be aware of their surroundings, but will be less sensitive to physical sensations making their whole appointment that much more comfortable.  As with every patient, Dr. Seddon and his highly-trained team always do everything to ensure the well-being of patients under sedation.  As such, each patient who takes a sedative will have their pulse and blood pressure monitored for the whole of their appointment.

What to Do Before

Ensure that you pick up any prescribed medication two days prior to your sedation appointment so that you can take it as instructed.  The night before, eat a healthy meal and avoid having any alcohol.  Get a good night’s sleep.  On the morning of your appointment, eat a healthy breakfast, but avoid anything with caffeine or grapefruit juice as these will react with the sedation medication.  Make sure that you wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing to your appointment and refrain from wearing make-up.  Finally, as you will not be able to drive yourself home, be sure that you have arranged to have a responsible adult take you home from our office.

For a full list of pre-appointment instructions, click here.

What to Expect

On the day of your appointment, once you’ve been seated in one of our comfortable dental chairs, you’ll be given a powder to put under your tongue.  Soon after that, you will notice that you start to feel calmer and more relaxed.  Pretty soon, you’ll be aware of your surroundings and able to answer questions, but you won’t feel any discomfort.  You will be awake for your entire appointment, but it is quite possible that you won’t be able to remember much of it later due to the properties of the sedative.  When your appointment is over, you may continue to experience drowsiness, so it is important that you have arranged for someone else to take you home.

What to Do After

After your appointment, it is very important that you are driven home by a responsible adult.  Avoid strenuous activity while you are recovering and avoid any alcoholic beverages for two days following sedation.  Make sure that you get plenty of rest.

For a full list of post-appointment instructions, click here.

Sedation Dentistry FAQs

Is sedation dentistry safe?

Yes.  Dr. Seddon and his staff have a great deal of training and experience in this field and they attend continuing education courses to continually refine their technique.  The sedatives they use have all been thoroughly tested and approved for use in dentistry as well.

What treatments can I be sedated for?

Sedation is an option for every treatment that we offer.  Dr. Seddon and his team are happy to be able to accommodate the needs of every one of their patients.

How long before the sedative wears off?

This can actually vary greatly depending on the patient and depending on the procedure.  The sedative can begin to wear off within the first hour, but it is still important that any patient who undergoes sedation take the rest of the day off and get plenty of rest.

Do I really need someone to pick me up?  Can’t I just take a cab?

It is very important that you arrange to have a responsible adult take you home after your appointment as the sedative will take some time to clear your system.  You will not be able to drive yourself home and should not drive at all for the rest of that day.  We need to know for certain that you are going to make it all the way home safely, so taking a cab is not an option.

Do I need to have an IV to be sedated?

No, Dr. Seddon uses oral sedation with his patients.  The sedative is placed under your tongue in the form of a powder; all you need to do is relax.