If you, or someone you know has been afraid of the dentist, there is new hope! Dental sedation can help you forget about needle shots, pulling teeth, the drilling, and other unpleasant dental stimuli. If you’re afraid of a certain procedure or just everything about dentistry, but know that waiting is no longer an option, than dental sedation may be right for you!

At Modern Dentistry, we offer laughing gas for shots and extractions. For longer procedures, or when cosmetic work needs to be done, or when significant discomfort is anticipated, we offer oral and intravenous sedation. We are one of a small number of dentists who are licensed in Illinois to provide conscious sedation for our patients.

Oral sedation is wonderful for longer and restorative appointments. Intravenous sedation is the most predictable form of sedation, and is most useful for surgical procedures, such as extractions, implant surgery, gum surgery, and root canal therapy. Sedation dentistry is not for everybody, and your medical history may preclude you from receiving it. There is also a separate sedation fee associated with all forms of sedation that we offer. We are proud to be able to offer this rare service at a fraction of the cost charged by other anesthesia providers.

Sedation dentistry combines modern dental techniques with medications that cause various levels of sedation. Drugs used for pain control and that induce sleepiness and amnesia are given before and during the dental procedure. This makes it possible for people who are scared of the dentist and the dental environment to comfortably receive dental care. Also, it is useful for people who are not normally afraid of the dentist, but due to the amount of work and discomfort of certain procedures, they would feel better using sedative drugs.

The form of sedation that we offer is called conscious sedation. This is the same type of sedation that most people experience when they have “twilight” sedation, usually during minor surgical and invasive diagnostic procedures. Its use in the dental setting has an incredible safety record, and medically speaking, most people who can undergo routine dental care can also receive conscious sedation very safely.

We treat over one hundred sedation cases per year, more than most dentists will treat in their entire career. Our experience and reputation is well known amongst patients and other area dentists. There are few problems that we haven’t encountered, so you can trust us with even your most complicated situation. Dental sedation is a modern miracle.

If you’re ready to smile again, please contact us and request a sedation consultation.

Q. Is sedation predictable?
A. Yes, intravenous sedation is extremely predictable. Other modalities such as intramuscular and oral are not as predictable in terms of how long it takes for you to feel sleepy. This can be a problem if you become very awake during a procedure. Properly re-sedating you using intramuscular and especially oral routes may take a very long time.

With intravenous, a small amount of drug is injected into the special water line, and within a minute you will be comfortable again.

Q. How much does sedation cost?
A. We have come up with a creative solution to minimize sedation costs to our patients, while ensuring that our office is properly compensated. While most anesthesiologists will charge any from $600 to $800 per hour or more, we have decided to limit our billing for sedation services to the first 2 hours of each appointment. This means that after the first two hours, there is no extra charge for being sedated for the remainder of your appointment! The sedation charge will be the same for a 3 hour appointment and a 5 hour appointment. When we do complex surgical and especially restorative dental work, extra time is required to ensure the highest quality outcome. By limiting your cost to the first two hours, we are able to save you money over the remainder of your appointment, while taking our time to make sure your dental treatment is not rushed.

Q. Can I drive from my appointment?
A. No, you must not drive from your appointment, or for the rest of the day. The drugs that are used can cause you to forget where you are and even to fall asleep hours after the appointment is over. For your safety, you must have a driver take you home, and you are not to drive or operate any machinery until the next day.