For longer treatment plans, more anxious patients, or specific medical needs, IV sedation in our office is often the safest and most efficient choice. The medication is delivered intravenously by a board-certified dental anesthesiologist who is present and monitoring your child for the entire visit.
Why families choose IV sedation
- Multiple procedures can be completed in a single visit
- Eliminates the in-the-moment anxiety of being aware
- Onset and depth are precisely titrated by the anesthesiologist
- Avoids the logistics, cost, and recovery of a hospital case
The day of the appointment
Your child arrives with an empty stomach (we will give you exact NPO times in advance). The anesthesiologist conducts a pre-procedure assessment, places the IV (often after applying a topical numbing cream), and titrates sedation to the appropriate depth. We complete the planned dental treatment, monitor recovery, and discharge home with a parent.
Safety
IV sedation in our office uses hospital-grade monitoring equipment and is administered by a separately licensed dental anesthesiologist whose only job during the visit is your child's safety. Dr. Jon and the dental team focus on the dental work.
Is IV sedation right for your child?
We will discuss the indication carefully. Often the right choice is the lightest sedation that lets us complete the work safely and comfortably; sometimes that is IV, sometimes it is hospital dentistry, and often it is something less.
