Can I get sedated for a root canal treatment?

If you’re in need of a root canal, sedation is definitely an option, so be sure to let your endodontist know if you’d like to use it. They’ll need to know how anxious you feel about your root canal, if you are taking medication, and if you have any medical conditions they should be aware of. Based on your input, they’ll be able to recommend the perfect type of sedation.

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Conditions that might require sedation:

• Extreme dental anxiety

• Severe gag reflex

• Trouble keeping their mouths open

• Special needs

• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s

• Patients who do not get number thorough local anesthetics

• Patients who want to have multiple root canals in one dental visit

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If you feel that sedation is the best choice for you, discuss this with your endodontist. They will talk to you about your reasons for wanting sedation and what approach to sedation will work best for you.

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Sedation Options:

• Nitrous Oxide: A patient wears a small mask over their nose and breathes in a combination of oxygen and nitrous oxide. This gives the patient a warm, happy feeling while also making them slightly numb all over. It’s fast acting, and the effects quickly go away once the mask is removed. No fasting is required and patient is allowed to drive after the procedure.

• Oral Conscious Sedation: For a patient with more severe dental anxiety, they can be prescribed a pill to be given by us on the day of their appointment. Fasting is required before the procedure and patient will need to have an escort by their side for the rest of the day.

• IV Sedation: This is a very potent form of sedation, in which a sedative is administered directly into the bloodstream. This sedates a patient very quickly and deeply, and it can be adjusted in real time to ensure someone remains comfortable from moment to moment. This will be coordinated with an IV anesthesiologist after the initial consultation appointment.

 

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At Foundation Endodontics, we are sensitive to the dental fears and anxiety of our patients so we take steps to create an environment in which they will feel comfortable and at ease. We offer many different sedation options. 

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