Sedation Dentistry

Sedation Dentistry

At Tribeca, our number one goal (besides restoring your smile) is to ensure you are as comfortable as possible. If you find that you often get anxious before an appointment, our sedation dentistry may be the perfect solution for you. We can administer sedation medication before or during your treatment to ensure that you feel relaxed and comfortable.

Sedation dentistry candidates

If you feel nervous or anxious about dental treatment or are afraid of going to the dentist due to bad experiences in the past (for example when you were a child) or you need a large amount of dental work performed in a single session as with our Teeth-In-A-Day procedure, then sedation dentistry should benefit you greatly.

At Tribeca’s office in downtown New York, we offer several types of sedation techniques such as oral conscious and IV sedation. Our dentists will work closely with you to determine which technique best fits your personal needs and goals.

Oral Conscious Sedation

This type of sedation is very simple. Essentially, you swallow a pill (like taking an aspirin) before you come into the office for your dental treatment. This medication will relax you and place you in a complete state of calm for the duration of your appointment. You will not be asleep and will remain awake throughout the procedure. However, most patients do not remember the procedure. This can make long appointments feel like they only took a couple of minutes. By remaining in a conscious state, you will be able to respond to verbal cues and breath on your own during your heightened state of relaxation. You will also be administered a local anesthetic so there will be no pain.

For this type of sedation, you will need someone to drive you to and from the office on the day of your dental treatment. It is recommended that this is someone you know and trusts such as a friend or family member.

IV Sedation

For patients with moderate to severe anxiety, IV sedation is a safe technique that works by administering sedatives directly into your bloodstream, ensuring it works quickly and effectively. If necessary, the level of medication can be adjusted during your dental implant or other cosmetic treatment  so that you remain in a comfortable state throughout the duration of your procedure. Although you will be conscious during your appointment, you will likely not remember anything after your treatment and the procedure will pass very quickly. IV sedation is very similar to oral conscious sedation in that you are in a heightened state of relaxation. We carefully monitor your heart rate and breathing to ensure your safety throughout the process.