8 Benefits & Disadvantages of Oral Sedation for Dental Procedures

8 Benefits & Disadvantages of Oral Sedation for Dental Procedures

Oral sedation for dental procedures is also often referred to as pill sedation. This form of sedation is just one of the three methods dentists use to keep patients calm during treatment. While nitrous oxide is administered in the form of a gas and intravenous (IV) sedation is the injection of sedative into a vein, oral sedation is a tablet patients swallow an hour before their procedure.

The type of medication used in oral sedation is a form of Benzodiazepine, which sells under the brand names Valium, Halcion, and Xanax, among others. The sedative reduces the amount of activity in the areas of your brain that impact anxiety and fear. This approach results in a relaxed, calm mood that enables practitioners at our dental clinic in Surrey, BC, to treat you without causing unnecessary stress.

Benefits of Oral Sedation for Dental Procedures

This method of sedation offers advantages for both patients and dentists. Whether you have a tooth extraction, a root canal with microscope, or a crown or bridge placement, sedation can help you avoid becoming stressed about the procedure. Some of the primary benefits include:

1. Ease of Use

The product is easy to administer because all you do is swallow the tablet an hour before your appointment. By the time you take your seat in the dentist’s chair, you’ll be feeling relaxed and unconcerned about the treatment.

2. No Needles

Oral sedation requires no use of needles, which are such a concern for so many of our patients. This fear makes intravenous sedation unsuitable for such individuals, but swallowing a tablet is simple.

3. No Recollection

Most patients have little to no recollection of procedures they undergo after a dose of Benzodiazepine, which ensures they carry no residual trauma resulting from the treatment.

4. Minimal Side Effects

Sedatives used by dentists are all regulated by Health Canada, which means they are approved for use in most patients. Few people experience any side effects from dental sedation in Surrey, but any that occur are generally minimal.

5. Awake and Responsive

While you might feel relaxed and slightly drowsy with oral sedation for dental procedures, you will still be awake and able to hear and respond to the dentist’s instructions.

Disadvantages of Dental Sedation in Surrey BC

Few things in life have no drawbacks, but fortunately, when it comes to dental sedation in our Surrey BC practice, the disadvantages are few:

1. Delayed Acting Time

With nitrous oxide or IV sedation, patients feel the effects almost immediately. However, oral sedation for dental procedures takes up to an hour for the medication to work. This is the reason why we advise you to swallow the tablet an hour in advance of your treatment.

2. Inflexible Sedation Level

Due to the amount of time required for the medication to take effect, the level of sedation can’t be easily adjusted. Patients’ bodies can metabolize sedatives differently, so it’s occasionally challenging to achieve a high enough level of sedation right away. However, this doesn’t occur very often.

3. Inability to Drive Afterwards

Because of the level of relaxation achieved with oral sedation, patients are advised not to drive for the rest of the day. You should always ensure you have a safe and reliable way to get home after receiving treatment under sedation at our dental clinic in Surrey, BC.

Fear of dental treatments is widespread and can be challenging for patients to deal with. Sedation dentistry enables individuals to relax during dental procedures so they don’t compromise their oral health.

For more information about oral sedation for dental procedures, please contact our dental clinic in Surrey, BC. 

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