Sedation Dentistry

Perryton Sedation Dentistry - Perryton, TX
Dr. Kriklin provides sedation dentistry to residents of Perryton, Canadian, Spearman, Pampa, Liberal, KS and surrounding communities.

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 medications can be administered. There are 2 primary ways that Sedation is administered in the Dental Office: 
 
1.  Conscious Sedation, "Orally Administered Sedation", sometimes called  "Sedation Dentistry" is administered by taking a medication orally.  All bodily functions remain normal and the person is able to breathe on their own.  The patient may often feel like falling asleep. Some degree of amnesia is common.

2.  Inhalation Conscious Sedation, Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation, also known as "laughing gas", 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 feel like falling asleep and experience some degree of amnesia about what happened during their dental appointment. Inhalation Sedation has been used by dentists for many years. 
 

Conscious Sedation

The oral medications used for Conscious Sedation in dentistry are from a group of medications known as Benzodiazapines.  Not only do these medications have a sedative effect they also have some degree of  amnesic effect for most people.  Patients remember little or nothing about their dental appointment.

Advantages to Conscious Sedation:                                                     

• Easy to take medication orally 
• It is safe and easy to monitor
• Works well for most people
• Less costly than IV Sedation

What medications are used for Conscious Sedation?

• Halcion (Triazolam)
• Diazepam (Valium)
• Zaleplon (Sonata)
• Lorazepam (Ativan)
• Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)
• Nitrous Oxide

Inhalation Conscious Sedation

Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen, "laughing gas", has been used as the most frequent and primary means of Sedation used in dentistry for many years.  Thirty-five percent of all U.S.  dentists offer Nitrous Oxide Sedation to their patients. 

Advantages of Inhalation Conscious Sedation:

• Works well for mild to moderate anxiety
• Rapid onset
• Flexible duration;  can be used for any appointment length
• Absolute control;  easy to quickly control the level of sedation
• Rapid recovery 
• Analgesic effect
• Very safe 
• You can drive yourself to and from your dental appointment
• You can return to normal activities immediately