Safety of IV Sedation
Our IV Sedation is not general anesthesia. Unlike general anesthesia, IV sedation is not intended to make a patient unconscious or unresponsive.
- Our specific technique of IV sedation is meant to induce a light, sleep-like state from which the patient can be easily aroused.
- During IV sedation, the patient's breathing and airway are minimally affected and the patient continues to adequately breathe on their own throughout the procedure.
Our Office Exceeds Standards
We follow and exceed the protocol and criteria mandated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Dental Board of California for safe performance of IV sedation in the dental office. Our office is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment including:
- Pulse oximeter (blood oxygen monitor)
- Capnograph (respiration monitor)
- An electrocardiogram (heart monitor)
- Sphygmomanometer (blood pressure monitor)
- Resuscitative medications and equipment
Our office has been specifically built to safely provide IV sedation to children including a separate recovery room for post-operative care and an emergency generator in case of power outage.
Technique for IV Sedation
Various medications can be used for sedation. The specific types and routes of medications used will be selected based upon your child’s overall health, level of anxiety, and dental treatment recommendations. It is typical to utilize a combination of medications to achieve the desired sedative effect. By using injected medications we bypass absorption through the stomach and obtain a more reliable level of medication in the bloodstream, thus decreasing the total amount of medication used.
