Schedule My Appointment
+1.208.229.8700

Sedation Methods

At the Idaho Center for Sedation Dentistry we create a personalized treatment plan by assessing your unique needs and determining which is these sedation methods are best for you and will keep you relaxed and comfortable during your entire visit.

It is not uncommon for our patients to have a treatment plan that calls for more than one sedation method. For example, a patient may take a valium the night before her appointment and then receive IV sedation during her procedure.

During your consultation appointment we will sit down with you and discuss your health history, your unique needs, concern, and wishes, and then determine the best way to keep you safely relaxed and comfortable throughout your entire procedure.

Inhalation Sedation

Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) is the most common inhaled sedation medication and is administered via a small mask placed over your nose and inhaled as you breathe normally.

Pros

  • The inhaled gases begin to take effect within a couple of minutes of exposure.
  • Nitrous Oxide is tolerated well by most people.
  • The effect of Nitrous Oxide gas wears off quickly and you will be able to drive yourself home or back to work after your procedure.
  • Easy to administer and monitor
  • Very few side effects

Cons

  • Nitrous Oxide provides only a very light amount of sedation and may require the use of an additional method of sedation.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is when a person takes pills such as diazepam (valium) to achieve sedation. The medications can be given to a patient the night before a dental appointment and/or once you arrive at our office 30 minutes to an hour before the dental procedure actually begins. 

Pros

  • Starting an IV is not necessary

Cons

  • Pills can take 45 minutes to an hour for the medication to dissolve and become active in your system. Therefore, your appointment will take an hour or more longer while you relax in a chair and wait for the pills to fully take effect.
  • With pills it is sometimes tricky to get the perfect dose necessary to achieve the ideal sedation level. For example, taking one pill might not be quite enough sedation, but two pills might result in sedation level deeper than the doctor would prefer.
  • Some people may not tolerate the pills well may have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, etc.
  • You will need someone to drive you to your appointment and also drive you home.
  • You will not be able to return to work, drive, or operate machinery for the remainder of the day.

IV Sedation

With IV sedation the sedation medication is administered into your vein by an IV placed in your hand or arm. 
 

Pros

  • A broader range of sedation medications are available for the doctor to chose from with IV sedation compared to oral sedation.
  • The medication begins to take effects moments after it’s given and the patient experiences the relaxing effects of the medication almost immediately.
  • The doctor is able to micro manage and customize the dosing to achieve the ideal level of sedation for each patient.
  • The IV provides a method to administer other medications quickly if needed.

Cons

  • An IV will need to be started.
  • You will need someone to drive you to your appointment and also drive you home.
  • You will not be able to return to work, drive, or operate machinery for the remainder of the day.

Sedation Dentistry FAQs

Why Sedation Dentistry?

Benefits Of Sedation Dentistry

SCHEDULE MY APPOINTMENT
CLICK TO CALL US

COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE. EXPERT CARE.

COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE. EXPERT CARE.