IV Sedation Dentistry vs Oral Sedation Dentistry

There seems to be much confusion about the difference and effectiveness of IV sedation dentistry and oral sedation dentistry. Both of these are also known as “sleep dentistry.” I hope to bring clarity to this important topic for you, because I know a good portion of the population is scared as heck to go to the dentist and don’t even know what a sedation dentist is.

Many patients come to my office with a severe fear of the dentist. They come to see me, Dr. Lampee, because they have heard from people that they care about that I can change their whole dental experience. We focus and cater to the highly dental phobic.

These are patients who were traumatized during childhood dental visits, who had maybe one very bad experience, or who are so embarrassed about the condition of their mouth that it causes severely debilitating anxiety. No matter where the fear comes from, it is a real thing and has caused patients to wait 10 or 20 years before finally making that appointment.

So which one – IV sedation dentistry or oral sedation dentistry?

What I do at my dental practice is oral sedation dentistry – safe and extremely effective.

Over the course of 30 to 45 minutes I give you, the phobic patient, a different combination of medications underneath your tongue. The underside of the tongue is rich in thin tissue and blood vessels, allowing the sedation medication to absorb into your system very quickly. It produces an extremely relaxed, sleeplike state, and produces almost total amnesia. Most patients only remember arriving at the office and then waking up in the comfort and security of their own beds. It is really that amazing, even for the most fearful patient!

IV sedation dentistry involves accessing a vein and inserting a needle into it and delivering sedation drugs. Like oral, it is very affective, but there is inherently more risk involved with IV sedation dentistry. Some people have adverse reactions to these drugs, including uncontrolled body actions and extreme central nervous system depression.

Now, since both are very effective, which is best? I solely practice with oral sedation dentistry, mostly because IV sedation dentistry involves more risk due to the potential adverse drug reactions. In addition, oral allows me to have a patient in the chair for eight or nine hours, without the fear of giving too much medication or adverse reactions. This would be more much more difficult with IV sedation dentistry.

I believe in the power of sedation dentistry. It has the power to transform lives and smiles and it can turn the most phobic dental patient into the most thankful patient. Once a highly anxious patient undergoes sedation, they usually tell me that I have forever changed their view of dental appointments. They only wish they had known about it earlier.

You can call us today to schedule your sedation dentistry appointment – it will change life. I hope this discussion has helped for you to understand the differences between oral sedation dentistry versus IV sedation dentistry.