Welcome to Mountain Dental PC. One of the easiest methods of receiving dental treatment is through the application of Oral Conscious Sedation. This effective method of dental sedation has been safely utilized throughout the country for the last 25 years by an organization called DOCS (Doctors of Oral Conscious Sedation). Both Doctors here at Mountain Dental PC and our monitoring staff have received over 30 hours of education and training from this organization. The ability to relax while having dental work completed is a wonderful opportunity.
Oral Conscious Sedation is not “Sleep Dentistry.” Under Oral Conscious Sedation, the patient is totally relaxed and freed from anxiety and fear. However, in order for us to do high-quality and detailed dentistry, we need to have a patient who is awake and responsive to our needs. Active patient participation allows us to make sure the anesthetic is working well, check the details of a dental procedure like bite and fit, and perform several procedures that cannot be done while someone is asleep. Our goal is to have the best of both worlds: a patient that is relaxed and free from anxiety in a situation where excellent dentistry can be easily accomplished.
For Oral Conscious Sedation in individuals 12 years old and older, we administer a single dose of a strong anti-anxiety medication (triazolam, zaleplan, lorazepam with or without accompanying hydroxyzine) one hour before we begin treatment. The medication is administered in the office and the patient is monitored in the dental chair from that time. During treatment, we supplement the effect with Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to deepen the relaxation. With the nitrous, it is easy to keep the patient at the level of sedation called “minimal sedation.” At this level, the patient can respond to all of our questions and inquiries easily. For safety, we have complete monitoring of the patient throughout the procedure. This includes blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse, heart rate, breathing frequency and depth, and CO2 levels. A specific staff member is set aside to observe the monitoring and care for the patient’s safety during the experience.
A safe experience is mandatory for treatment at our office. Several conditions make OCS difficult or impossible to accomplish. These are: uncontrolled hypertension, asthma, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, heart disease (heart attack, unstable angina), vascular disease, compromised airway reflexes, compromised liver function, obstructive sleep apnea, psychosis, concurrent alcohol intake, obesity, and COPD.
Medications like Protease inhibitors (HIV tx), anti-fungal agents, tagamet, anti-acids, antidepressants, erythromycin, cyclosporine, grapefruit juice, and St. john’s wort are all medications that can effect the duration and efficacy of the OCS medication. For the safety of the patient during the procedure, we need to be aware of any of the above conditions or medications prior to recommending OCS treatment.
Instructions for Adult OCS
1. No food or water (except water with meds) for 6 hours prior to appointment.
2. No sedatives for 24 hours before/after (other than night time anxiolytic prescribed by the dentist)
3. No stimulants for 12 hours before/after
4. No chance for pregnancy
5. No sensitivities to OCS medications
6. Must have responsible person to bring and take patient home
7. No contact lenses
8. No driving for 24 hours after
9. No operating hazardous devices
10. No heavy lifting
11. No stairs
12. No important decisions
13. Hydrate with juice and Gatorade type products as soon as possible.
Truly, Oral Conscious Sedation is a game-changer for dental care! Imagine receiving excellent dental care, no matter how complex, in a situation where you are totally relaxed and comfortable! On top of that, most patients who utilize this opportunity have only vague memories that anything was done at all! It is the best of both worlds.
