Comfort
IV Sedation in Downtown Los Angeles
For long appointments, and for anxiety that the other options do not reach.
Some treatment takes hours, and some anxiety is not solved by a mask and a cheerful word. IV sedation is the deepest of the three options at Smile LA Downtown Modern Dentistry, and it exists for both of those situations.
When it is used
When IV sedation is used
IV sedation exists for two quite different problems that happen to have the same answer. One is length: some treatment simply takes hours, and staying comfortable for the whole of it is part of the treatment succeeding rather than a nicety alongside it. The other is anxiety of a degree that nitrous oxide and a tablet do not reach — the kind where the realistic alternative is not a more stressful appointment but no appointment at all, for years. The two overlap often, because the treatment that gets deferred longest tends to be the treatment that has become extensive. Which of the three options is right is decided from your medical history, before anything is booked.
- Longer surgical appointments Where the work is extensive enough that staying comfortable for the whole appointment matters as much as the treatment itself — implant placement, bone grafting, multiple extractions.
- Significant dental anxiety Where nitrous oxide or a tablet is not enough, and the alternative is not having the treatment at all.
The three compared
How it differs from the other two
It is administered intravenously rather than inhaled or swallowed, which is what allows the depth to be adjusted precisely during the appointment. You will need someone to take you home, and the day should be planned around the appointment rather than fitted between other things.
What we will need to know
Sedation of any depth is planned around your medical history, not chosen off a menu, so the conversation happens before the appointment is booked. Tell us about your anxiety and about any medication you take, and we will tell you which of the three is appropriate and what the day will involve.
The treatments it most often accompanies
Dental implants, bone grafts, sinus lift, wisdom tooth extractions and full mouth reconstruction.
The short answer
IV sedation is a form of dental sedation given intravenously, and it is the deepest of the three sedation options offered. Because it is delivered into a vein rather than inhaled or swallowed, the depth can be adjusted precisely during the appointment, and you need someone to take you home afterwards. It is used for longer surgical appointments such as implant placement, bone grafting or multiple extractions, and for patients with significant dental anxiety.
IV Sedation FAQ
- When would I need IV sedation?
- IV sedation is used for longer surgical appointments and for patients with significant dental anxiety. Long treatment such as implant placement, bone grafting or multiple extractions is easier to complete when you stay comfortable for the whole appointment. It also suits anxiety that nitrous oxide or a tablet does not reach, where the realistic alternative would be not having the treatment at all.
- How is it different from the other options?
- IV sedation is given intravenously rather than inhaled or taken as a tablet, and it is the deepest of the three options. Delivering it into a vein is what allows the depth to be adjusted during the appointment. Nitrous oxide is inhaled and wears off within minutes, while oral sedation is a tablet taken before the appointment.
- Can I drive myself home?
- No, you will need someone to take you home after IV sedation. Arrange that before the appointment, and plan the day around the appointment rather than fitting it between other things. Nitrous oxide is the option after which you can drive yourself home.
- Is it available for any treatment?
- IV sedation is planned around your medical history and the treatment involved rather than chosen off a menu. Which of the three options suits you is a conversation that happens before the appointment is booked, not a choice made on the day. It most often accompanies dental implants, bone grafts, sinus lifts, wisdom tooth extractions and full mouth reconstruction.
- What should I tell you beforehand?
- Tell the team how you feel about dental treatment and about any medication you take. Both change which of the three sedation options is recommended. That conversation happens before the appointment is booked, so the day can be planned around the sedation.
