Oral Sedation

What is Oral Sedation?

At Pinnacle Dental Group we understand that many people struggle with anxieties, insecurities and fears surrounding dental treatment. For people who are mild to moderately anxious about their dental treatment, oral sedation can provide enormous benefits, it is safe, simple, non-invasive and cost-effective.

Oral sedation involves taking an anti-anxiety pill (such as Valium) one hour before your dental appointment begins. It will help you relax while the dentist does their work, you will still be awake and able to respond to the dentist if they ask you any questions. Many people typically feel drowsy, care free, removed from the procedure and simply relaxed. It is also very common to feel a sense of time passing very quickly. Our expert team will monitor you while under oral sedation as well as your vital signs to ensure you total comfort and safety.

Unlike with nitrous oxide ‘happy gas’, oral sedation is stronger and will provide greater anxiety relief, but it does require fasting and will also leave you feeling groggy, tired and uncoordinated after your appointment as the medication is still wearing off. This means you will need a friend or family member to drive you home.

What are the advantages of Oral Sedation?

Safe – all oral sedatives administered at Pinnacle Dental Group have a long standing excellent safety record and are frequently administered by General Medical Practitioners for anxiety and panic disorders
Affordable and easily accessible
Easy to take – you simply swallow a pill an hour before your appointment
Does not require needles as you are taking the sedative orally
Enables you to relax and undergo your dental treatment in the comfort and familiarity of our dental practice
Treatments seem to take a shorter amount of time
Responsive – although you may feel drowsy with oral sedation, you will still be awake and responsive. Since you are awake during the procedure, you will be able to listen and respond to your dentist’s instructions

What are the disadvantages of Oral Sedation?

Drowsy but not asleep – oral sedation will help you to feel relaxed and comfortable but you will not be asleep or unaware of the procedure and surroundings
Not immediately effective – you will not feel the effects immediately as with sleep dentistry (intravenous sedation). It may take around 1hr after taking the oral sedative to feel the gradual relaxation
Sedation level cannot be changed – the effectiveness of an oral sedative varies between people and cannot be determined until an hour after the pill has been taken. If the relaxation is not as great as you would like, the level of sedation cannot be adjusted as it can be with sleep dentistry
Must be driven home by a responsible adult – because you are taking a sedative medication, your reflexes and judgement will be impaired for 24hrs and it is not safe for you to drive or operate machinery during this time
Must be fasted before the appointment – consuming food or drink within 6hrs of taking an oral sedative will impact on its effectiveness and increase your risk of nausea and vomiting

At Pinnacle Dental Group, we understand that some patients would prefer the strongest form of conscious sedation for optimal comfort, relaxation and pain-free dentistry, which is why we also offer our specialised Sleep Dentistry service on-site at our practice.

Contact our Team Today!

Don’t let dental fear keep you from getting the beautiful smile you deserve. Please contact our friendly team at Pinnacle Dental Group to find out more about your options for pain-free dentistry and the best form of sedation for you.