Dental anxiety and fear can create significant obstacles to taking care of your dental health. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that over 1 in 5 patients skip their dental appointments due to dental fear. When undergoing dental procedures, it’s normal for dentists to offer some form of anesthesia to relax the patient and prevent them from feeling pain. At San Antonio Smile Pros, IV sedation dentist Dr. Fawzi Hijazi supplies intravenous (IV) sedation as a comprehensive, powerful form of sedation dentistry.
Our highly trained and empathetic team wants to help you relax during even seemingly stressful dental procedures. At San Antonio Smile Pros, our signature dental sedation is IV sedation because it can be safely monitored, helps you feel less aware of your surroundings, and allows Dr. Hijazi to perform multiple procedures in one appointment. Plus, IV sedation creates an extended period of amnesia, which means you shouldn’t remember much (or anything at all) about your procedure when the medicine wears off.
Since IV sedation is more potent, we suggest preparing for a sedation dentistry appointment more than a run-of-the-mill dental appointment. Before your appointment, our IV sedation dentist will provide clear instructions. For instance, he might instruct you to stop eating or drinking at a particular time, wear comfortable clothing, and have someone responsible drive and pick you up.
After making the necessary preparations, a dental team member will ensure that you feel comfortable in the dental chair and start a drip IV in the arm or hand. We can provide pain medication, steroids, and anti-inflammatory medication through IV sedation dentistry. Additionally, we can closely monitor breathing patterns, pulse, and blood pressure. Because IV sedation is administered directly into the bloodstream, the medication takes effect promptly (often within a few minutes). Typically, patients feel relaxed during dental procedures but blissfully unaware of the sights, smells, and sounds around them.
After the dental procedure, you might feel drowsy or slightly groggy as the dental sedation wears off. So, we suggest avoiding strenuous activity, operating heavy machinery, and making major life decisions 24 hours after the procedure. Plus, we strongly advise avoiding alcohol, smoking, and unapproved medications until directed.
For practical and convenient sedation dentistry services, schedule an appointment to meet with the San Antonio Smile Pros dental implants and dentures specialists.
No, because general anesthesia requires intubation (a breathing tube for support). Conversely, IV sedation doesn’t require breathing tubes and just a tiny needle placed into an easily assessable vein.
Indeed, all forms of sedation dentistry have some risks, and Dr. Hijazi will review your health history to see if IV sedation is in your best interest. If not, he will suggest medical alternatives.
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