Sedation Dentistry St Louis – IV Sedation

When you come in for your appointment, we will decide which level is best for your needs.

It is important to understand that you are NOT asleep for Intravenous Conscious Sedation. You remain conscious during IV Conscious Sedation. IV Conscious Sedation involves administering drugs (medications) that calm patients, creating a drowsy, “sleep-like” state. Simply meaning, Conscious Sedation patients are:

• Conscious
• Can breathe on their own
• Can respond to questions

IV Conscious Sedation stimulates deep relaxation and a sensation of not being concerned with what’s happening. During Intravenous Conscious Sedation (IV sedation), a drug, usually an anti-anxiety medication, is administered into the blood system during dental treatment. IV Conscious Sedation and Oral Sedation can be called “Sedation Dentistry.”

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The Dental Anesthesia Center: Sedation and Sleep Dentistry

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pnkldy74

Our adult daughter has cerebral palsy and requires being fully sedated when having anything done. The DAC was such a positive experience. Dr Hoffmann and his staff were kind and did great explaining things. As a mom, I had a lot of questions about how certain things would be done as usually she’s in her chair when getting examined at her local dentist and they had everything under control including transferring from her chair to the dentist chair and keeping her secured in the dentist chair as well as keeping her neck and legs comfortable. Many thanks to them!

Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re grateful for your trust and happy to hear that you had such a positive experience with our team. Our goal is always to provide compassionate, attentive care in a safe and comfortable environment. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

Craig P.

TWENTY YEARS! That is how long our special needs son has been seeing Dr Hoffman and his dedicated team! Our son suffers from an intellectual disability, is non-verbal, and is unable to cooperate for dental cleaning, x-rays, or other routine dental work. He requires general anesthesia. It is such a blessing to avoid a hospital setting just for dental work.

The team is always well staffed, friendly, personable and very professional. Every single year we have been supported by a deeply caring team who are dedicated to patients with a very wide range of disabilities and needs. They have shared useful dental advice and tools (3 sided toothbrushes, blocks to hold open their mouth for daily at-home care, etc.) which improved our son’s daily dental care. We always receive a call back the day after to check his recovery-even on weekends!

Highly recommended and so appreciative to have this team supporting our ever long road of raising a special needs son.

Response from the owner:Wow — thank you for sharing such a heartfelt review! We are so grateful for your trust and for allowing our team to be part of your family’s journey over the years. It means so much to us to know that our care and support have made a difference. We truly appreciate your kind words and recommendation!

Cheryl D.

We've been coming to Dr.Hoffman for twenty years. There's a reason we keep coming back! He's great. His staff is great. He's double boarded as an MD (Anesthesia) and DDS!!! Our son with special needs needs sedation for even a cleaning. You get what you pay for. He's expensive and... we know he's getting the best care!

Response from the owner:Thank you for trusting our team over the years and for your kind words about Dr. Hoffmann and our staff. We truly value your confidence in the care we provide!

Leslie L.

Omg!! This place is Amazing! The people who work here are so very nice and understanding. I love this team

Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words! We truly appreciate your support and are grateful to have such wonderful patients.

Cindy R.

Searching for a new dental clinic is challenging for someone who has
dental anxiety, fear, and traumatic experiences in a dental chair. The staff and doctors at the Dental Anesthesia Center were immediately very welcoming. Dr. Thoms put together a very detailed plan to repair and replace the previous work that I had in the past that was now causing problems. Putting my faith in him was the best thing that I could have done for my situation. I am more than completely satisfied with all of the extensive dental work that I’ve had with Dr.Thoms. I had my fourth sleep dentistry experience yesterday and I’m very happy with my results. I highly recommend this practice and truly want to give them more than five stars! Thank you for giving me back my health and confidence.

Response from the owner:We know it isn’t always easy to find a dental office where you feel at ease, so your words mean the world to us. We’re so glad you feel comfortable with our team and truly appreciate your trust and recommendation!

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Sedated patients are conscious, can breathe independently, and can respond to questions. Remember, you are NOT asleep for IV Conscious Sedation Dentistry. A dentist must receive two days of additional training when administering pills orally. Intravenous (IV) Sedation requires at least 60 hours of training, or a dentist can be trained in a residency program.

The methods of sedation can be achieved by:

• Administrating oral medications
• Intravenous medications
• Nitrous Oxide “laughing gas”

Using the lightest level of sedation is minimal sedation. It involves a mild sedative, such as a Valium-like medication or Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas.) This kind of sedation requires no additional training for the dentist.

When you visit for your appointment, Dr. Hoffmann, Dr. Thoms, or Dr. Behl will decide which level is best for you. We look forward to meeting you. Call us at (314) 862-7844, and one of our friendly team members will happily speak with you.

Who Can Benefit From Sleep Dentistry and Sedation Dentistry?

Patients With:

• Fear and Anxiety: Nearly half of the people with dental problems avoid dental care because of their fears and anxiety. Modern, safe anesthesia techniques allow the fearful patient to have dental procedures accomplished without the anxiety associated with dentistry.
• Low Pain Threshold: People perceive pain differently. Some individuals have difficulty getting numb. General anesthesia and sedation techniques can alter this perception, and patients can be virtually pain-free during treatment.
• Sensitive Gag Reflex: Some patients may suffer from a severe gag reflex and cannot have dental care completed using local anesthetic. Using anesthesia services can eliminate the problems caused by an active gag reflex.
• Extensive Treatment: Completing dental treatment under general anesthesia can eliminate the need for multiple visits.

Patients with special needs:

• Special Needs: Individuals with physical or mental disabilities can achieve complete dental care in a comfortable setting. Sleep dentistry provides a safe and effective way for special needs patients to receive the dental treatment they need. Patients can have a complete exam, a full mouth series of x-rays (pictures of teeth), and a thorough cleaning while under general anesthesia.
• Young Children: Children who are experiencing anxiety and are unable to cooperate for necessary dental treatment can benefit from anesthesia services.

Click here to learn more about Sedation Dentistry

SaveWhat to Expect From IV Sedation for Dental Treatment

Many dental procedures can be lengthy and cause stress for patients, especially those who are suffering from dental anxiety. Small children, patients who cannot stay still for long because of other conditions, or patients with anxiety can all benefit from sedation dentistry. It allows them to go through the necessary procedures without stress or discomfort.

The Different Types of Dental Sedation

There are different types of sedation used in dental medicine, and they vary in intensity, ways of administration and the effects they have. We will list the main types of dental sedation, ordered by the intensity:

• Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) is administered through a breathing mask. Its effects last very shortly, wearing off immediately after the procedure. It allows the patient to drive themselves home.
• Oral sedation is administered in the form of pills, which need to be taken at a certain time before the procedure. It leaves the patient conscious and able to answer questions and interact with the doctors but not able to drive themselves afterward.
• IV sedation is administered intravenously and provides maximum comfort for the patient, who won’t remember much of the procedure.
• General anesthesia leaves the patient unconscious and unable to move, and it is reserved for more serious cases.

Your St. Louis sedation dentist will discuss your medical history and the procedure with you prior to the procedure and decide which type of sedation is best for you.

How to Prepare for IV Sedation and What to Expect?

Making sure you follow the doctor’s instructions closely before and after the procedure will keep the risks under control. Generally, you need to follow a few simple rules that will make the procedure and the IV sedation comfortable and minimally invasive:

• Don’t drink or eat anything for 6-8 hours before your appointment.
• Don’t take any medicine not pre-approved by your St. Louis sedation dentist, as it might interfere with the medication.
• Get someone to drive you home after the procedure and monitor you for a few hours after the sedation.
• Wear comfortable clothing and remove any accessories like jewelry, belts, etc.

St. Louis Dental Sedation

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we value our patient relationships, prioritizing delivering the gentle dental care you and your family deserve. We work hard to make you feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere.

When you visit for your appointment, Dr. Hoffmann or Dr. Thoms will decide which level is best for you. We look forward to meeting you!