What is IV Sedation?

IV sedation involves administering a sedative through a vein, allowing the medication to work very quickly. Since it’s administered intravenously, the dentist is able to adjust the level of IV sedation as needed for the procedure. This makes it easy to tailor the amount of sedative used to the specific patient, reducing the risk of complications and side effects. While you’ll still be in a semi-awake state and you’ll probably be able to communicate with the dentist, most patients have little or even no memory of the procedure when IV sedation is used. IV sedation is often recommended by dentists for oral surgery procedures to make it easier to relax during stressful, long treatments, such as implant placements, wisdom tooth extractions, and other types of invasive dental treatments.

What is General Anesthesia?

General anesthesia generally uses a combination of inhaled gasses and intravenous medications to make patients completely unconscious so they’re unable to respond or feel any pain during a medical procedure. Today it’s not often used for dental procedures since it has the risk of serious complications. When administered, it depresses the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, which is why it’s not recommended for routine dental work. Some health conditions can increase the risk of complications when general anesthesia is used as well, including:

• Obesity

• Smoking

• Diabetes

• Drug allergies

• Seizures

• History of bad reactions to anesthesia

• Obstructive sleep apnea