Oral Sedation – What to Expect

Oral sedation is a great way to have your dental work completed if you suffer from dental anxiety or have had a negative dental experience in the past.  Sedation dentistry is a safe, viable alternative for patients who are fearful of visiting the dentist.

How Oral Sedation Works

Oral sedation involves using oral medications to put your body and mind in a relaxed, comfortable state. Using these medications will fully calm and relax you, while allowing you to respond to requests and answer questions if necessary during the procedure.

Generally speaking, you will be given a medication to take before you leave home for your dental appointment. This is most often just an hour before your appointment.  

Once you arrive at Aesthetic Dentistry of Valencia, we will evaluate your level of sedation before we begin. Many times no additional medication is needed. Make sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment.

When You Arrive

Once you arrive or the medication starts to take effect, you will be escorted by our dental team to a comfortable chair. A small electronic oxygen sensor will be placed on your fingertip, as well as a blood pressure cuff on your arm, allowing us to monitor your vital signs throughout your procedure. Once your treatment is complete, expect to feel a bit sleepy, but alert and awake. Be sure to have someone stay with you for several hours until the drugs wear off, to ensure a safe recovery. The next day, you may not even remember coming to the dentist office at all.

Safety of the Medications

Your sedation dentist will have chosen a medication that is appropriate for your weight, height and degree of anxiety. The medications issued in oral sedation have already been measured in terms of safety on the therapeutic index. The larger the drug measures on the scale, the safer it is. If you are concerned about safety, just ask how your chosen medication ranks on the therapeutic index.

To learn more, please see Types of Sedation Dentistry and Questions to ask Your Sedation Dentist.

If you live in Valencia, California and want to enhance your smile painlessly, please contact the dental team at Aesthetic Dentistry of Valencia to schedule your free consultation and see if oral sedation is a good solution for you.