Home/General and Preventative Dentistry/Oral-Conscious Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry is designed to make visiting the dentist a more comfortable and stress-free experience. With techniques such as oral-conscious sedation, men and women who are typically too afraid to go to the dentist can get the care they need while feeling very relaxed. Dr. John D. Beckwith and our team at Cornerstone Dental proudly offer oral-conscious sedation for patients who suffer from dental phobia. Dr. Beckwith is licensed with the state of New Jersey to offer this method of sedation, having the skill and expertise needed to deliver safe and effective sedation care. The option of receiving sedation is available for any procedure that causes patients anxiety, whether it is a routine cleaning, root canal, or dental implant placement.
Our goal is to make your dental experience as pleasant as possible. If you are interested in taking advantage of sedation dentistry, or would like to know more about how it works, please ask a member of our team during your appointment.
Often known as “sleep” dentistry, oral-conscious sedation involves taking a prescription medication in the form of a pill before your treatment. As the sedative takes effect, you will begin to feel very relaxed while still remaining conscious throughout your procedure. Since the medication gradually wears off, you should arrange for someone to drive you home after your appointment, as you may feel too drowsy.
A major benefit of oral-conscious sedation dentistry is patients can often undergo multiple treatments during the same appointment, making their visit more productive and their care more efficient. Other advantages to utilizing sedation during treatment include the following:
Your safety is our team’s top priority. Any possible side effects will be communicated with you to ensure you are informed about your decision. Most side effects that are associated with oral-conscious sedation typically fade after a few hours, and these can include:
In addition to these, it is normal to have limited memory from what happened during your procedure.
Conscious sedation treatment is designed to relax and calm patients while not putting them completely under, as is the case with other sedation methods. Patients who have elected to utilize conscious sedation will likely feel like they are in a dream state due to how calm they are and can actually fall asleep. However, many patients are still able to communicate with their dentist during the procedure. Conscious sedation treatment is ideal for patients who have minor to moderate cases of dental anxiety and are not in need of being put completely to sleep for their dental procedures.
Safety among patients for any procedure is Dr. Beckwith’s number one priority. When using sedation to feel more at-ease during their dental procedure, patients report feeling more relaxed, which allows for more successful results. Under the supervision of a trained and experienced professional, like Dr. Beckwith, sedation dentistry can be a safe and effective method to reduce the anxiety of patients while receiving the dental care that they need.
Oral-conscious sedation treatment is designed to last as long as the dental treatment in order to ensure that the patient remains relaxed throughout. They will be required to bring someone with them to the procedure to drive them home afterward. This is because many patients can experience minor side effects like grogginess following their treatment and should not operate a vehicle. Patients typically remain calm and relaxed from their treatment even after they arrive home and sometimes have trouble remembering the procedure even though they were likely awake the entire time.
Most dentists are able to offer some form of sedation dentistry, but not all dental professionals have the same qualifications. Milder forms of sedation dentistry that tend to be more common include nitrous oxide sedation or oral-conscious sedation methods. Dr. Beckwith has specifically undergone specialized training to precisely administer conscious-sedation dentistry to benefit his patients. Because Dr. Beckwith is specially trained, the oral-conscious sedation dentistry he offers is extremely safe, and patients will be able to undergo the necessary dental care with their minds at ease.
The cost of oral-conscious sedation will depend upon the type of medication prescribed and if your insurance will help cover a portion of the cost. Since sedation dentistry can often allow for multiple treatments to be performed during the same visit, this can potentially help save the additional costs of scheduling more appointments in the future.