Oral Sedation

Following a “getting to know you” exam appointment, you and Dr. Marley may together determine that a minimal level oral sedation is best for you.  If so, Dr. Marley will prescribe you a fairly short acting antianxiety medication for you to take one hour before the appointment, and at the appointment if necessary.  A single dose of this medication can also be taken the night before your appointment for a good night’s sleep.  Dr. Marley does not charge any additional fee for oral sedation.

Our goal for oral sedation is to simply take the edge off of your anxiety so that you can have a more pleasant experience in achieving your oral health goal.

Sedation Dentistry

Advantages to patients include:

  • Treatment is completed when you are in a more relaxed mood.
  • You will have less difficulty sitting through a lengthy procedure.
  • Multiple treatments can occur at during the same visit.
  • Less discomfort after treatment.
  • Nitrous Oxide sedation can be used with these medications in order to boost the antianxiety effect.

Disadvantage include:

  • You will be restricted from driving, work responsibilities, from making financial decisions, or from signing your name until the following morning.
  • You could be disappointed that the effects for you are not as profound as you are hoping.  Since the peak effect of oral sedation medications is anywhere between 20 minutes and one hour, we are limited on how many oral doses we can give.  In contrast, IV sedation provides peak effects within 1 minute of administering similar medications, so the IV rout of administration usually provides a more predictable and thorough effect.

Please note that you shouldn’t travel on your own after you’ve taken any of these medications. Make sure you have an escort, even if you traveled by bus or foot! It’s easy to become disorientated.

Some considerations:

Make sure you have provided our office with an updated health history and list of current medications. Please advise of narrow-angle glaucoma, pregnancy, severe respiratory disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), impaired kidney or liver function, depression/bipolar disorder/psychoses, and chronic bronchitis.