Conscious Sedation

What is sedation?

Sedation is placing the patient in a sleep state in order to painlessly perform needed dental procedures.

Why would I need to be sedated?

Most dental patients do not need sedation and have their work performed with local anesthetic. Some patients have great fear, medical conditions or disabilities that make sedation the best choice for completing the work comfortably.

How is sedation performed with Dr. Lee A. Slotkin?

We believe that the safest, most predictable method of sedation is performed by a licensed medical anesthesiologist. The physician will determine the proper degree of sedation necessary to perform the procedures planned. They will then carefully monitor and adjust medication for the duration of the procedure. The anesthesiologist is focused only on the patient’s sedation and the dentist and assistant are focused only on the patient’s dental work. Each team member can then focus only on their specific specialties.

How is sedation performed in some other dental practices?

Some offices offer a pill to be taken before the procedure. This presents a problem if the dosage was calculated incorrectly or if there is an unexpected reaction to the medication.

Some offices have the dentist perform the anesthesia and dental procedure simultaneously. This presents the problem of doing two things at once and is a potential recipe for problems.