Not all Sedation is the Same!
There is a misconception that all sedation dentistry is the same. Most of the advertisements you hear on the radio or see in the phone book are for conscious sedation. These dentists sometimes will even use the terms sleep or snooze with the intent of misleading patients into believing that they will be asleep during their dental appointment. The Oregon Board of dentistry issues sedation permits to dentists to perform sedation in Oregon. The permits are only issued after the dentist has received additional education and training. Most of the dentists that are advertising sedation dentistry only hold a Class II conscious sedation permit. The drugs they use are administered orally and although they can make you very relaxed, they are not intended to “put you out” during the appointment. They will however block the formation of memories during the procedure so afterwards it will seem as if you were asleep.
In Oregon, there are four different types of sedation permits:
Class I - allows the dentist to administer Nitrous Oxide.
Class II Conscious Sedation - is defined as “an induced controlled state of depressed consciousness” (The dentist needs to be able to talk to the patient during the appointment). This is the type of sedation being offered at virtually all the dental offices that advertise sedation.
Class III Deep Conscious Sedation - is defined as “the inability to respond purposefully to either physical stimulation or to verbal command but the patient retains the ability to independently and continuously maintain an airway”.
Class IV - General Anesthesia
At Sleep Dentistry of Portland we offer light to deep sedation including general Anesthesia when necessary. Only a handful of general dentists in the state of Oregon are qualified and licensed to perform deep sedation. Intravenous Sedation is safer and more predictable than oral sedation alone. Not only can the level of sedation be controlled much more accurately, the drugs can also be reversed just as easily using the IV. Using oral sedation for deep sedation is just not safe or practical. There are too many variables such as: what the patient has eaten, how quickly the drug passes through the lining of the stomach and intestines and how quickly the body will metabolize the drugs. For safety, the doctor is usually forced to error on the side of lighter sedation.
We urge you to ask to see your dentists license or to check with the Oregon Board of Dentistry to see if your dentist is licensed to perform the type of sedation you are looking for.
You can visit the Oregon Dentistry Boards web site at http://www.oregon.gov/Dentistry/
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Even with the latest technology that makes modern dentistry more gentle than ever before, many people are still aprehensive about going to the dentist. There are a lot of reasons for this apprehension. Some people have a low threshold for pain. Others fear needles. And then there are those people who just fear going to the dentist, period. 
Q: Will I feel any pain or discomfort?
