If you’ve got an infected tooth and you may need a root canal, you may be wondering what options you have for making your treatment more comfortable. Do they usually put you to sleep for a root canal? At Washington Court House Dental, the answer is “yes!” We offer IV sedation, sometimes also called “twilight sedation.”
This is a deep, highly effective method of sedation that allows you to sleep through your entire visit. You may even forget most of what happens during your appointment! Read on for more details about IV sedation and how it works with root canals to ensure your comfort during your visit.
Wondering what drug they give you during a root canal? Most dental offices offer either nitrous oxide (laughing gas) or pill-based oral conscious sedation. IV sedation is a bit more rare, since it requires more training and specialized equipment. But at Washington Court House Dental, we’re fully certified to provide IV sedation for your comfort.
IV sedation uses the same kinds of sedative drugs as pill-based sedation. The big difference is that instead of being swallowed and processed by your digestive system, IV sedation uses an intravenous needle to deliver a mixture of medications right to your bloodstream.
This means that IV sedation takes effect nearly immediately, unlike pill-based sedation. Its effects are also deeper and more intense, which means that you’ll be much more “out of it,” and less aware of what’s happening around you. This makes IV sedation a great choice for patients with dental anxiety or who want to feel more relaxed during their visit.
The answer is most likely “yes.” The sedatives used in IV sedation are very strong, and will make you feel extremely relaxed and groggy. This means that it’s very likely that you will fall asleep during your visit. However, some patients may not fully “fall asleep.”
But even if you’re not fully asleep, you will be in a very different state of consciousness. This is why IV sedation is also sometimes called “twilight sedation.” You will not feel scared, nervous, or anxious, and you will not feel any pain. Even if you don’t fall asleep, you will also probably forget most of what happens during your visit.
However, it’s important to distinguish IV sedation from general anesthesia, the deepest method of sedation. With general anesthesia, you will be completely unconscious and unable to respond to commands, and you will need a breathing machine to help you breathe during your treatment. General anesthesia is usually only done in a hospital setting.
This is not the case with IV sedation. IV sedation can be done right in our office at Washington Court House Dental. You can breathe on your own, and while you may fall asleep, it is possible to wake you up if necessary. This makes it a convenient option for most dental treatments at our office in Washington Court House, OH.
Not sure what to expect if you choose to get a root canal with IV sedation in Washington Court House, OH from our team? It usually takes between 1-2 hours to complete your procedure from start to finish. Here’s what you can expect during this time:
First, you’ll need to meet with your dentist at Washington Court House Dental for an oral exam. Your dentist will examine your tooth and take X-rays to determine if a root canal is necessary. If it is, you’ll be able to discuss your options for sedation.
Your dentist will ask questions about your health, medications you take, allergies, and more. This health screening ensures that you’re a good candidate for sedation at our office, including IV sedation. Once you’re approved, you’ll schedule a follow-up visit at our front desk before you leave.
At your next visit, our team will begin by placing a needle into your arm and administering a safe, calculated dose of sedative drugs into your bloodstream. These will take effect almost immediately. You’ll feel very groggy and tired, and you will probably fall asleep.
Once the sedative has taken effect, your dentist will administer local numbing to the treatment site to ensure your comfort. Along with IV sedation, this ensures pain relief throughout your root canal treatment. You won’t feel a thing during your appointment!
Next, your dentist will clean up the treatment site and then prepare your tooth for the root canal. They will remove any damaged or decayed enamel from the tooth, and then create a small opening in the tooth using a dental drill. This allows your dentist to reach inside the tooth and clean it out using special dental tools.
The next step is to clean out the damaged, infected pulp and other material from inside your tooth. Your dentist will use special tools to clean deeply inside your tooth and remove all of the decayed tooth structure.
Once that’s done, your dentist will flush the tooth with a cleaning solution. Then, they will fill it up with a rubbery material called “gutta-percha.” This replaces the now-extracted pulp, filling up and strengthening the internal structure of the tooth to make sure it stays healthy and intact.
Finally, your dentist will place a temporary dental filling or crown on top of your tooth. This seals the tooth and provides adequate protection until you can have a permanent crown placed during a later visit. Then, you’ll be sent home to rest and recover.
However, you should note that you cannot drive yourself home after IV sedation. It can take several hours for the effects to wear off completely, and you cannot drive during this time. You will need to bring a responsible adult with you to drive you home and take care of you for the first few hours after your root canal treatment.
If you need a root canal in Washington Court House, OH and are nervous about potential pain and discomfort, our team is here to help. Led by Dr. Michael Pappas, the team at Washington Court House Dental offer gentle root canals and IV sedation to keep you feeling comfortable throughout your entire visit. Give us a call at (740) 333-7290 or book your visit online to get started.
Call 740-333-7290 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
