IV and Oral Sedation Dentistry for Telluride, CO

Dr. Ryan P. Grady is a DOCS certified sedation dentist. Although Telluride Center for Dentistry offers Nitrous (laughing gas), which relaxes patients during their appointments, we understand that certain patients require sedation for dental procedures. 

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If you have an intense fear of the dentist, you are not alone.  Many patients feel excessive anxiety at just the though of visiting a dentist. At Telluride Center for Dentistry, we know how important oral hygiene is to your overall health. We are passionate about providing dental care to everyone and dedicated to not allowing fear to be a barrier to a healthy smile. That is why we have implemented an alternative to traditional, anxiety-ridden appointments: sedation dentistry. 

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Oral Sedation Dentistry has been used safely with millions of dental procedures for over 30 years. Before starting any treatment, we will review your medical history and explain how Sedation Dentistry can work for you. We want you to feel good about going forward towards a healthy, new smile. 

 

There are two types of sedation dentistry: Oral and Intravenous (IV). Oral is the less invasive of the two. No needles are involved. At Telluride Center for Dentistry, we strive to make the process as effortless as possible. You take a small pill on an empty stomach an hour before your appointment. The pill will act as a mild sedative and will quell your anxiety. Someone will drive you to the office, and once you get there, you will be a little drowsy. We will evaluate you to see how you are doing, and if you still feel anxious, we will give you a little more medication.

 

We will then escort you to your room and wait until you feel comfortable. We will not begin until you are completely relaxed and you give us permission to get started. Often times, we can get a lot of dentistry done in a short amount of time. Frequently, all the dentistry that you need is done in that one visit. When the appointment is over, someone will drive you home and the rest of the day, you will just take it easy. The day after your dental appointment, you will feel completely normal except for one thing: you won't remember anything about your dental visit. 

 

Oral Sedation:

Who is a Candidate for Oral Sedation Dentistry?

 

Adults who have...

- A great fear of visiting the dentists

- Had a traumatic dental experience

- Difficulty getting numb

- A bad gag reflex 

- Very sensitive teeth 

- Limited time to complete their dental care

- Complex dental problems

 

As well as adults who: 

- Hate needles and shots

- Hate noise, smells, and tastes associated with dental care 

- Are afraid and embarrassed about their teeth

 

IV Sedation:

A sedative is administered intravenously or directly into a patient’s vein. This form of sedation does require the patient to be monitored for blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate so that the IV sedation dosage can be adjusted as needed. Patient may not leave the office without an escort/caregiver for the remainder of the day. The patient will not remember any of the procedure and will feel as though they were asleep.

 

How Does the IV Sedation Process Work?

Most adults, but not all, are candidates for conscious IV Sedation Dentistry.  Special attention is given to initial patient concerns and pre-operative preparation for all IV sedation cases to ensure patients have a safe and comfortable experience.