Sleep Sedation
Don't Be Afraid ... You Will Feel No Pain
We gently insert the anesthesia needle into your arm. If you are really anxious, we can help you relax with oral sedation. Then it will be lights out, baby. Well, maybe not lights out, because you are still awake, but in an altered state of consciousness. You won't feel any pain or even know what is going on. However, if the dentist asks you questions you can reply by blinking or hand motions. When the procedure is over, the first question you will ask is: "When are you beginning?"
Most people dislike going to the dentist, as they are afraid ... of pain. They also dislike being restricted to a chair for a lengthy bit of time, and people don't like being out of control. Others have an easily triggered gag reflex.
We have an answer which addresses all patient's concerns. It's call sleep sedation anesthesia which is administered with an IV (intravenous) injection. Sleep sedation provides a patient with the ultimate of pain relief and comfort during a procedure.
There are few dentists in the area who offer sleep sedation which sets our practice apart from the crowd.
Sleep sedation does not require a hospital-type anesthesiologist, but it does require extensive training and licensing by the State of California Board of Dental Examiners. Both Dr. LeRoy Carson and Dr. Derek Carson have several decades of experience dating back to 1994 (Derek since 2005). Thus, we are able to provide you with a safe and relaxing alternative to being awake during your procedure. We are also Dental Sedation Evaluators for the State of California.
Dr. LeRoy Carson
Dr. Derek Carson
Sleep sedation is indicated for many procedures including deep cleanings, crowns, dental implants, root canals, wisdom teeth removal, pediatric dentistry, or extensive oral surgery.
Once the anasthesia begins, you fall into a verbally arousable state of light sleep known as twilight sleep. You will experience little or no feeling during the procedure, and will have no memory of during the sedation. Our dental assistant monitors all your vital signs closely, including pulse rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiration rate, before and after the procedure.
When you open your eyes after the procedure, you will be happy.
Sleep sedation pros:
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Patients have little memory of the procedure
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The anesthesia has a rapid onset
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The IV drugs provide a deeper sedation than oral (pills) or inhaled sedatives (nitrous oxide)
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A gag reflex is greatly reduced
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The dosage is measured to exact specifications for each patient
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It's a super-effective measure for overwhelming dental anxiety
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The drug can quickly and effectively be reversed at any time
Sleep sedation cons:
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You need a friend or relative to drive you home (Uber and Lyft are out)
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The site of the injection can become infected (fairly rare)
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It is a more expensive procedure not covered by most insurance
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You need to watch your step for a few hours until the drugs totally work themselves out of your system