Sedation

What is Conscious Sedation?

While local anesthetic is used for most of our procedures, if you’re like many patients you may hate needles, have a fear of dentists, unusually sensitive teeth, a bad gag reflex or difficulty sitting through long appointments. If that’s the case, then sedation may be an option for you.

How Does Conscious Sedation Work?

At our clinic, we use a technique known as conscious sedation, often referred to as “relaxation dentistry”. This is a medicated approach that’s designed specifically to manage pain and anxiety during dental appointments.

Unlike general anaesthesia – in which a patient is completely unconscious and unable to respond – conscious sedation will make you feel calm and relaxed during your treatment. While you’re sedated you’ll be able to respond to direction and breathe naturally on your own. The result is a pleasant and almost euphoric experience with virtually no pain and a significant reduction in anxiety.

Dr. Bouclin & Dr. Tremblay offers two types of conscious sedation:

Moderate Conscious Sedation

Medications is administered into the blood stream by a certified nurse under the doctors supervision.

Is Conscious Sedation Safe?

Dr. Bouclin has been trained and certified in oral and intravenous sedation techniques by the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. He holds a current permit issued by the Royal College of Dentists of Ontario to deliver conscious sedation to patients in our office. Our office has also treated hundreds of patients with no major incidents or issues and the procedure is regarded by most health care professionals (including Health Canada) as being safe and reliable. If you do have any concerns, Dr. Bouclin and our staff would be happy to answer any questions and outline any risks. We will never prescribe sedation to any patient if there is even the slightest chance of complications. If you’re concerned, you should also speak with your doctor to find out if sedation is right for you.

Are There Any Side Effects?

After conscious sedation most patients experience drowsiness, feelings of heaviness or sluggishness, slow reflexes and low blood pressure. In rare cases, patients may also have a slight headache or mild nausea. In the case of IV sedation, many patients also experience general amnesia with no memory of what happened during the procedure.

How Long Does Conscious Sedation Last?

Usually the effects of sedation begin to wear off in an hour. Our staff will keep you in our clinic during that time to monitor your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure until they’re back to normal. You must have someone to drive you home immediately following your procedure and you must not operate a motor vehicle for 24 hours following your treatment. We also typically recommend taking the rest of the day off to recover and avoiding any physical activity until the side effects have completely worn off. Most patients are usually back to normal a day or two after their sedation has been completed.