05 Apr I have a hard time sitting still – can oral sedation help?
For especially fidgety patients, it can be hard to fathom remaining relatively still throughout an entire oral surgery procedure, like a wisdom tooth extraction or dental implant placement. Fortunately, oral sedation can help such patients overcome this potential obstacle to getting the dental care that they need.
Oral sedation helps the patient achieve a deep state of relaxation. In fact, it feels like the patient is asleep, although they may actually remain conscious and able to respond to the commands of the oral surgeon. Additionally, these sedative medications have an amnestic effect, which means that the patient should have no recollection of the surgery after the procedure.
Patients who are skittish of needles typically find oral sedation, in which the anti-anxiety medications are taken in pill form, to be a good alternative to an IV delivery method. Oral sedation is combined with local anesthetic for maximum patient comfort.
However, oral sedation does require some planning. Most importantly, you must take the pill far enough in advance for the medication to take effect. You will also need to arrange for a responsible adult to escort you to and from the appointment, as it will not be safe for you to drive yourself. That person should stay with you until the medications’ effects are completely reversed for safety purposes.
Typically, oral sedation doesn’t have the same restrictions on eating that IV sedation does, but check with your surgeon on any precautions that you have to take.
Be sure to thoroughly discuss the effects, risks and benefits of oral sedation with your surgeon, who should be able to educate you on the steps that the surgical team will take to monitor your vital signs to make sure they remain stable throughout the procedure.
If you have concerns about not being able to sit still long enough during your procedure, contact our office at Charlottesville Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center about your oral sedation options. This approach can help to make your oral surgery more tolerable.