Extensive rehabilitative dentistry can be tiresome for the patient and challenging for the dentist who wishes to provide quality dentistry. IV sedation provides increased patient comfort and excellent working conditions for the dentist. It also saves you and your busy schedule the inconveniences of multiple visits.

Many patients may have chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney failure, heart, or lung problems that can make routine dental work challenging in the conventional dental office setting. These conditions may necessitate careful monitoring of vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate) during the procedure. Additionally, IV sedation may be provided in order to control pain, anxiety, and the deleterious physiological responses, such as elevated blood pressure and heart rate, that accompany them.

Our anesthesiologists will arrive prior to the appointment and set up the operatory with the required equipment. This typically requires a small amount of space and will have minimal impact on operating and assisting.

A preoperative assessment and evaluation will be completed to review the medical history status of the patient. NPO status is confirmed and the anesthetic plan will be discussed with the patient.

Once the patient is ready for treatment, the anesthesiologist will begin administering medications and the operator will be able to begin treatment shortly thereafter.

Upon completion of the dental surgery, the patient will be recovered by the anesthesiologist/staff and subsequently discharged when the patient meets the necessary discharge criteria. Patients can be recovered in the same area or moved to a recovery area.

Safety is our ultimate goal. Dr. Henderson continually strives to provide his patients with an unparalleled level of safety. He has the most current, well-maintained and organized anesthesia equipment in the industry. During his free time he reads extensively to maintain his knowledge of the most current advancements and treatment modalities in his field. You can rest assured that Dr. Henderson will provide you with a safe, controlled, and hospital-grade anesthetic experience in the comfort of your dentist’s office.

For safety during most procedures, it is necessary for you to have an empty stomach. As a general rule, you should not eat or drink anything after midnight before your surgery. Under some circumstances, you may be given permission to drink clear liquids up to two hours before your anesthetic.

Your anesthesiologist, Dr. Henderson, is responsible for your comfort and well-being and will continuously monitor your response to anesthesia and surgery. Monitoring devices will be attached such as a blood pressure cuff, an EKG, and a pulse oximetry finger probe to monitor your oxygen level. For children, the mother and father can stay with their child until the child is comfortable and ready for his/her procedure.

YES. You must make arrangements for a responsible adult to take you home after your anesthetic. You will not be allowed to leave alone or drive yourself home. It is strongly recommended someone stay with you during the first 24 hours after your surgery.

Patients usually go home between 30-45 minutes after the procedure. When you can go home is determined by your medical condition and how you have responded to your surgery and anesthesia. You will be released to go home with a reliable family member or friend once it is okay for you to leave.

Patients often feel sleepy after the procedure and commonly rest through the remainder of the day. Occasionally patients may experience sore throat, nausea or minor aches. Patients should drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and take pain medications as directed by their surgeon.

If cancellation is necessary, we require that communication is made with our office at least 10 business days prior to the appointment to avoid a cancellation fee. A cancellation is considered late when the appointment is cancelled less than 10 business days before the appointment time. A no-show is when a patient misses an appointment or fails to follow the fasting guidelines that are provided by the treating anesthesiologist. In either case, patients will be charged a $400 missed appointment fee.