Oral Sedation

Calming Nerves During a Dental Procedure

We understand that some patients can still have anxiety, even for simple procedures.  A lot of times, patients have previous dental experiences that were less than ideal and that makes them anxious about any dental appointment in the future. 

Oral Sedation at Riverside Heights Dental

At Riverside Heights Dental near the Guildford mall in Surrey, we offer oral sedation to anxious patients.  This will typically come in the form of 1 or 2 pills.  The most common oral sedative drugs we use are Triazolam and Ativan.  These drugs are given about an hour before the procedure and the patient feels calm and relaxed just before they are ready to go in.  Most people benefit significantly from the oral sedation as it takes the edge off and sometimes patients even forget they were here.  These drugs are called benzodiazepines and their main function is to keep the patient relaxed.  It is very important to know that these drugs impair your thinking and motor coordination temporarily so if these drugs are dispensed to you, you cannot drive at all that day and must be escorted home by someone.

Sedation for Extensive Procedures

We also use sedation for longer or more extensive procedures, such as wisdom tooth extractions or root canal treatments.  Oral sedation can also be used for children if they have trouble tolerating the procedures. 

Please ask your Dentist at Riverside Heights Dental in Surrey BC if you are interested in sedation during your dental procedure.