Sedation Dentistry – West Lake Hills, TX

What Is Oral Conscious Sedation?

Oral conscious sedation is a popular form of sedation dentistry because of its effectiveness and ease of use. This option will help you achieve a deeper level of relaxation than nitrous oxide sedation, but is gentler than IV sedation or general anesthesia. As its name suggests, we’ll prescribe you a pill to be taken by mouth before your appointment. The calming effects won’t be immediately apparent; instead, they’ll slowly develop over time. By the time you reach our office for our appointment, you should feel like you’re in a dream-like state. You’ll be conscious enough to walk, answer simple questions, and respond to basic instructions, but you’ll feel very groggy.

How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work?

Being sedated with oral conscious sedation is often described as feeling “zoned-out” and is associated with a heavy or tingling feeling in the limbs. It also has an amnesiac effect, so you likely won’t remember anything about your time in the chair. In fact, many patients feel so at-ease that they drift off to sleep while we work on their smile. However, a gentle nudge is enough to wake them. Our experienced team will monitor you carefully to ensure you’re safe and comfortable. Oral conscious sedation is often recommended for longer appointments or more complex treatments because it will help keep the patient comfortable and still, which in turn helps us work faster.

Once your treatment has been completed, you’ll continue to feel quite groggy. This is why you’ll need a friend or family member to drive you to and from your appointment.  Since it can take several hours for the sedative to wear off completely, you should plan on resting and taking it easy for the rest of the day.

Are You a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?

The best way to know for sure if oral conscious sedation is right for you is to come visit us for a consultation. We’ll have a conversation with you about your goals and concerns, and then we’ll review your medical history to make sure this type of dental sedation will be the best and most effective for you. Most healthy patients are good candidates for oral conscious sedation, as long as they are not breastfeeding, have respiratory illness, or have certain other medical conditions. Oral conscious sedation is often recommended for patients who:

• Tend to cancel or postpone their appointments out of fear
• Have mild to moderate anxiety or fear about dental appointments
• Are afraid of needles or masks
• Are preparing for a long appointment or complex treatment