Conscious Sedation is defined as a minimally depressed level of consciousness that retains the patient's ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway and respond appropriately to physical stimulation and verbal command and that is produced by pharmacological or nonpharmacologic method or combination thereof.

Sedation Dentistry, sometimes called Relaxation Dentistry, refers to the way dentist's manage Pain and Anxiety during dental appointments. Unlike General Anesthesia where a patient is completely unconscious, asleep, and unable to respond, patients under Conscious Sedation, are able to respond to commands and breath on their own.

There are actually 14 different ways that sedation drugs can be administered. There are 3 primary ways that Sedation is administered in the Dental Office:

Reasons for a fixed bridge:

• 1. Sedation also known as Deep Conscious Sedation is usually used by Oral Surgeons and dentists with specialized training and special certification. With this type of sedation, medications are administered directly into the blood stream. The greatest advantage of IV Sedation is that if someone is not sedated enough, the doctor can administer more medication and the effects are instantaneous. IV Sedation is not used commonly in most dental offices because of the specialized advanced training required and the requirements for certification by the State Board of Dentistry. The drugs used for IV Sedation are more effective then the same drugs taken orally. There is a more profound amnesia associated with this technique.
• 2. Enteral Conscious Sedation "Orally Administered Sedation", sometimes called "Sedation Dentistry" is administered by taking a pill. All body functions remain normal and the person is able to breathe on their own. The patient will often fall asleep. Some degree of amnesia is common. The disadvantage with this method of sedation, is that the level of sedation for each person is not predictable.
• 3. Inhalation Conscious Sedation, Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation also known as "laughing gas". This is the most frequently used sedation method used in dentistry. All bodily functions remain normal and the person is able to breathe on their own. The patient will often fall asleep and experience some degree of amnesia about what happened during their dental appointment. Inhalation Sedation has been used my dentists for many years.

Is sedation dentistry for you?

You may benefit from Conscious Sedation if you have a lot of stress, fear and anxiety about going to the dentist. "You are afraid of the Dentist". If you need or require a lot of dental treatment, you should consider the use of Conscious Sedation. Conscious Sedation is sometimes called "Sedation Dentistry" or "Relaxation Dentistry".

Conscious Sedation will allow most people to overcome the stress fear and anxiety associated with Dental Treatment, because they can relax during their dental visit.

Previous bad dental experiences cause fear and anxiety about Dentists and Dentistry. If these feelings are preventing you from getting the dentistry that need Conscious Sedation can help you.

Many people have a fear of needles, had difficulty getting numb, or have a bad gag reflex, all these people can be helped through conscious sedation. These are a few of the problems that people encounter which will prevent them from seeking the Dentistry that they need.

When someone is sedated and relaxed it is possible to complete a large amount of complex dental treatment during a single visit to the dentist. People often have little or no memory of their dental visit.

If you exhibit any of the following characteristics, "Sedation Dentistry" may help you:

• Fear Stress and Anxiety about going to the Dentist
• People who desire a beautiful and natural smile and have fear and anxiety associated with dentistry
• Fear of needles
• You are hard to get numb
• Dental Phobia
• A history of bad dental experiences
• Painful or sensitive teeth
• Afraid to go to the Dentist
• You are troubled with a bad gag reflex
• Difficulty controlling movement from conditions such as Cerebral Palsy or Parkinson's disease
• You need complex treatment requiring long dental appointments
• People who have limited time to complete their required treatment and want to accomplish a lot in a single appointment. Treatment requiring multiple visits can often be accomplished in a single visit.

Patients who are on other medications should consult with their medical doctor before taking sedatives. Previous allergic reactions to other drugs should also be reported to the sedation dentist.