Saint Louis Sedation Dentist Walks You Through Conscious Sedation
When many people think of “sedation dentistry” they imagine themselves knocked out in the dentist’s chair, unconscious until treatment is over. Understandably, the thought of being unconscious during treatment makes many people a little anxious. That is why our Saint Louis sedation dentists are so happy to tell people about the marvels of oral conscious sedation treatment. Let’s talk about how this treatment protocol works.
Oral conscious sedation simply requires you, the patient, to swallow a small pill prior to coming in for your dental appointment. This pill is sedation medication, so you will start to feel calm and relaxed once you consume this medication.
Because you take this pill while you are still at home, you will actually fell calm and confident before you even step foot into our office. (This does mean, however, that you cannot drive yourself to your appointment!)
While our dental team is working on your smile, you will remain conscious the entire time. However, the parts of treatment that might normally make you nervous (like the sights and sounds of dental tools) will not bother you. Additionally, once you are under the effects of oral conscious sedation our dental team can administer additional pain-management treatments if necessary. Because you are conscious, you can respond to our dental team’s inquiries.
Once your treatment process is complete, our dental team will make sure that you are comfortable, and send you home to recuperate. Again, you won’t be able to drive yourself, because you will still be feeling the effects of oral conscious sedation. At home you’ll find that the effects of the sedation wear off quite quickly, and you do not need to take any additional pills/medications to nullify the sedative.
The entire oral conscious sedation process is needle-free and low-stress. If you want to determine whether you are a good candidate for oral conscious sedation, please feel free to talk to our Saint Louis sedation dentist office at your convenience.