Local Anesthesia (injections) | Light/Moderate IV Sedation | Deep IV Sedation | General Anesthesia | |
Requirements | All patient types and situations. | Advanced preparation required.
Nothing to eat/drink for 8 hours. Escort required. Cannot have severe or uncontrolled pre-existing medical conditions. |
Advanced preparation required.
Nothing to eat/drink for 8 hours. Escort required. Cannot have severe or uncontrolled pre-existing medical conditions. |
Must be performed in a hospital.
Advanced preparation required. Nothing to eat/drink for 8 hours. Escort required. |
Appropriate for… | Very short duration procedures with low anxiety level.
Sometimes required for patients that are too medically compromised for IV Sedation anesthesia. |
Non-complicated single tooth removal.
Single implants. Active gag reflex. Procedures that may elicit some anxiety. |
Wisdom tooth removal.
Complicated procedures. Bone grafting. All-on-X teeth in a day. Multiple implants. Higher anxiety expected |
Procedures with highest expected anxiety long duration or complexity that requires deepest level of anesthesia.
Patients that require advanced monitoring. |
Patient experience | Fully aware and numb in area of treatment only. | Groggy and awake.
May feel some things. Remembers some of procedure. |
Deep sleep.
Feels nothing. Remembers little if anything. |
Fully asleep and placed on ventilator for breathing. Feels nothing. Remembers nothing. |
Performed in Clinic (Outpatient) | yes | yes | yes | no |
Cost | $ | $$ | $$ | $$$$$ |
Intravenous Sedation (IV Sedation)
Our office offers our patients the option of Intravenous Sedation in order to alleviate anxiety and provide relaxed comfort during your procedure. You may not always be asleep but you will be comfortable, calm and relaxed, drifting in and out of sleep. This sedation will also lessen head and neck movement during the procedure which can lessen complications during the procedure.
If you choose the option of intravenous sedation your IV sedation/anesthesia is administered and monitored by the doctor therefore eliminating the costly expense of having your treatment carried out in an operating room or same day surgical facility.
How is IV sedation administered?
A thin catheter will be introduced into your arm or hand. This will be attached to an intravenous tube through which medication will be given to help you relax and feel comfortable. Some patients may be asleep while others will slip in and out of sleep. Some patients with medical conditions and/or on specific drug regimens may only be lightly sedated and may not sleep at all.
The goal of IV sedation is to eliminate anxiety and provide comfort while the treatment completed. It is very safe, much safer than oral sedation. With IV sedation a constant “drip” is maintained via the intravenous tube. At any time an antidote can be administered to reverse the effects of the medications if necessary. Along with IV sedation there are also other different “levels” of sedation available to you in our office. There is nitrous oxide analgesia.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous Oxide is an odorless, non irritating, colorless gas which you can breathe. Nitrous Oxide has been the primary means of sedation in dentistry for many years. Nitrous oxide is safe. Patients are able to breathe on their own and remain in control. The patient may experience mild amnesia and may fall asleep not remembering all of what happened during their appointment, however this is not typical, and there are no lasting post-operative effects once the gas is no longer being administered.
Our Doctors will evaluate each patient independently to determine if you are a good candidate for Nitrous Oxide sedation.
Call 803-699-5900 to schedule your consultation.
To initiate a consultation, simply fill out the form below and we will contact you back regarding the dental care you require.