Sedation Dentistry - Conscious Sedation

Conscious sedation is a unique term used to describe a spectrum of sedation. This spectrum starts with medications and techniques that generate a state in which the patient is lightly or mildly relaxed, and ends with medications and techniques that generate a state described as deep sedation in which the patient fully loses consciousness. Since sedation involves the depression of ones level of consciousness and everyone reacts slightly differently to analgesics, anesthetics, anti-anxiety, and /or sedatives agents your dentist often needs to tailor a specific medication and/or technique to achieve a level of sedation to meet the specific needs of a patient. Patients who have been sedated often feel as though they have been fully relaxed or even asleep throughout their dental appointment. Patients who are faced with a heightened level of fear or anxiety, or who require involved dental procedures (like root canals or surgical extractions) may elect to be sedated for their treatment.