Benefits of Having IV Sedation During Dental Implant Surgery
If the thought of going to the dentist makes you feel anxious and uncomfortable, you’re far from alone. The American Dental Association estimates that 22% of Americans avoid dental visits due to fear and anxiety. We fully understand. One easy solution to eliminate dental anxiety is to be sedated for treatment. Dr. McFadden is certified to administer Conscious Sedation and has been administering it since 2004.
Dental implant placement surgery is a technique-sensitive procedure that requires a still, stable environment to deliver properly. IV sedation is a comfortable, effective, safe method of sedation that allows maximum access and control over the procedure by the surgeon. Most patients who undergo dental implant surgery have no complications whatsoever. And many even have dental implants placed without IV sedation. Although this is fine if they’re not anxious, and their blood pressure is low and vitals stable, we often recommend having IV sedation if there are multiple implants being placed, or for full mouth dental implant surgery.
SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING IV SEDATION:
ANXIETY RELIEF
Patients Are Totally Relaxed. IV sedation allows patients to be totally relaxed and asleep during the surgical procedure. It also allows the surgeon to focus completely on the surgery without the distraction of comforting a nervous patient. While you are sedated, we are able to perform the necessary work without any interruptions or distraction, making it more predictable AND safer.
ENHANCED CONTROL/SHORTER SURGERY TIME
Without the distraction of a patient’s anxiety, we can focus solely on the task at hand and get right to work. The shorter the time spent in surgery, the faster the healing and the lower the risk of complications. This allows us to finish the surgery in less time, limiting complications and improving the outcome.
IMMEDIATE EFFECTS
IV sedation takes effect very quickly, unlike other forms of sedation (such as oral sedation), which can take over an hour for you to feel calm and relaxed. Sedation administered intravenously reaches your brain immediately, so there’s no lag time between it being administered and you feeling relaxed and stress-free.
IT IS HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE/MORE ACCURATE THAN ORAL SEDATION
With oral sedation, (unless you’ve had it a few times already) you don’t really know the full effects it’ll have on you until a little while after you take it. And then-sometimes that’s too much, and you can barely walk! Or sometimes it’s not enough, and you may still feel somewhat anxious, and have to take another pill and wait for it to take effect before we can begin. Everyone is different, and unless you’ve done this a few times, we can’t predictably gauge just HOW QUICKLY it’ll take effect or HOW LONG it’ll last. And for longer procedures, it sometimes wears off before you want it to.
IV sedation, on the other hand, is controllable because it is easily customized to your individual needs. Since it is administered intravenously, we have full control over the precise amount of sedation you receive, and the frequency of the drugs administered, so you’ll be comfortable throughout the entire procedure. Not too much and not too little!
FASTER RECOVERY
Once we stop administering the sedation, the effects of it will begin to wear off. You’ll still need someone to drive you home after your procedure, as you most likely will still experience some lingering drowsiness for a little while as the sedation leaves your bloodstream. But you’ll recover and return to a normal state faster than if you took anti-anxiety medication.
REDUCTION IN GAG REFLEX
Because patients are totally relaxed under sedation, the gag reflex is inhibited, making the patient more comfortable, time spent in surgery smoother, safer and more controlled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of sedation do we use?
We use conscious IV sedation — also known as ‘twilight’ or ‘conscious sedation’ — which puts you in a safe, relaxed, and comfortable state throughout your surgery.
What is the difference between conscious sedation and general anesthesia?
Conscious sedation involves drug-induced depression of consciousness during which patients respond to verbal commands and can breathe on their own, while general anesthesia involves drug-induced loss of consciousness in which the patient cannot be aroused and may require airway and ventilatory support.
Which is safer — conscious sedation or general anesthesia?
Conscious sedation is safer because the patient maintains natural physiological reflexes and the ability to breathe independently, and cardiovascular function is usually unaffected — unlike general anesthesia, where these functions may be impaired and careful monitoring is required.
What will it feel like under intravenous (IV) sedation?
With IV sedation you’ll feel very calm and more or less asleep — you remain semi-conscious, able to respond briefly when needed (such as opening wider), then drift back off, allowing the dental team to work efficiently and effectively.
Will I feel any pain during the procedure under IV sedation?
No — once you are sedated, a local anaesthetic will be administered so your mouth is numb, and you won’t even be awake for the shots or feel pain during the surgical steps.
Are there any side effects from the sedation?
There aren’t any major side effects; you may feel groggy for a few hours after the procedure as the sedation wears off, but serious complications are rare when proper monitoring is performed.
Will I remember the procedure when using IV sedation?
In most cases you remember little to nothing of your procedure, thanks to the amnesic effect of the sedation, which helps you wake up with no recollection of the surgical period.
