If the thought of a dental visit makes your heart race, you are not alone, and it should not keep you from care. Sleep dentistry at Applemint uses sedation to help you feel calm and relaxed through treatment, from a cleaning you have put off for years to a root canal or implant. Depending on your needs, we offer oral sedation, a prescribed pill that leaves you relaxed but awake, or IV sedation for deeper relaxation. Many patients remember little of the appointment afterward, and we can often complete more treatment in fewer visits at our Beverly Hills office on La Cienega.
Benefits
- Relax through treatment you may have avoided for years
- Two levels of sedation, matched to your anxiety and your procedure
- Your breathing, oxygen and heart rate are monitored throughout
- Complete several treatments in one longer, comfortable visit
- Helpful for a strong gag reflex or trouble getting numb
- A calm, unhurried dental spa setting before and after sedation
What Is Sleep Dentistry?
Despite the name, sleep dentistry usually does not mean being put fully to sleep. It means using sedation medication so you feel deeply relaxed, drowsy and unbothered while we work. You keep breathing on your own and can still respond to our team, but time passes quickly and many patients remember little of the visit.
Sedation works alongside local anesthesia rather than replacing it. The sedation calms your mind; the local anesthetic numbs the area we are treating, so you stay comfortable on both counts.
Sedation Options at Applemint
- Oral sedation. You take a prescribed pill about an hour before your appointment. You stay awake and able to talk but feel calm and drowsy. It suits mild to moderate anxiety and routine or mid-length visits. You will need someone to drive you home.
- IV sedation. Medication is given through a small IV line in your arm or hand. It takes effect within minutes and can be adjusted throughout the procedure, so it gives deeper, more controllable relaxation. It suits significant anxiety and longer or more involved treatment. You will need an adult to drive you home and stay with you afterward.
We recommend a level after reviewing your health history, your medications, the treatment you need and how you have felt at past dental visits.
Who Is Sleep Dentistry For?
Sedation can help if you:
- Feel anxious or panicky about dental visits, or have put off care because of fear
- Had a painful or frightening dental experience in the past
- Have a strong gag reflex, or find it hard to get fully numb
- Need a longer procedure, such as a root canal, implant or several fillings
- Would rather finish several treatments in one visit than come back many times
- Find it hard to sit still in the dental chair for long periods
Sedation is not right for everyone. Pregnancy, some heart and lung conditions, untreated sleep apnea and certain medications can make it unsafe, so we review your full medical history first and may ask for clearance from your physician.
Preparing for Your Sedation Visit
- Tell us about every medication, supplement and health condition, even ones that seem unrelated
- Follow the eating and drinking instructions we give you for the hours before your visit
- Arrange for a responsible adult to drive you to and from your appointment
- Wear comfortable clothes with sleeves that roll up easily
- Plan to rest for the remainder of the day
Recovery After Sedation
Before you leave, we monitor you until you are alert enough to go home with your companion. You may feel drowsy for several hours. For the rest of the day, and at least 24 hours after IV sedation, do not drive, drink alcohol, operate machinery or make important decisions. Most people feel back to normal by the next day.
Any soreness afterward comes from the dental treatment itself, not the sedation, and we will send you home with instructions for that treatment.
The Process, Step by Step
Consultation and health review
We talk through your anxieties, review your medical history and medications, and plan both your treatment and the right level of sedation.
Pre-visit instructions
You receive written instructions about eating, drinking and medications, and arrange a companion to drive you home.
Sedation and monitoring
On the day, we give your sedation and start monitoring your breathing, oxygen level and heart rate before any treatment begins.
Your treatment
Once you are relaxed and the area is numb, we complete your dental work while you rest comfortably.
Monitored recovery
We keep watching you as the sedation eases, then release you to your companion with aftercare instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is sleep dentistry safe?
- For most healthy adults, sedation given with a careful health review and continuous monitoring is very safe. We check your medical history and medications beforehand, tailor the level to you and monitor your vital signs throughout the visit.
- Will I be completely asleep?
- Usually not. With oral sedation you stay awake but relaxed and drowsy. IV sedation brings you to a deeper, sleep-like state, but you keep breathing on your own and can respond to our team. Many patients remember little of the appointment either way.
- Will I feel any pain?
- No. We still numb the treatment area with local anesthesia, so the sedation keeps you calm while the anesthetic keeps you comfortable.
- How long do the effects last?
- You may feel drowsy for several hours. Plan to rest for the rest of the day, and after IV sedation, avoid driving, alcohol and important decisions for at least 24 hours.
- Can I drive myself home?
- No. For both oral and IV sedation, you need a responsible adult to drive you home. After IV sedation, that person should also stay with you for a few hours.
- Can I get several treatments done in one visit?
- Often, yes. Sedation makes a longer appointment comfortable, so we can combine treatments such as fillings, a root canal or a crown into fewer visits when that makes sense for your mouth.
- Can I eat before my appointment?
- It depends on your type of sedation. We will give you specific eating and drinking instructions at your consultation. Please follow them closely, since they help keep you safe.
Related Reading
Ready to get started?
Schedule a consultation to discuss your Sleep Dentistry options.