IV Sedation at Dental Laser Esthetics Burnaby
IV (intravenous) conscious sedation is a safe form of anaesthesia for patients who are nervous and/or want to be asleep for the surgery. During your consultation appointment, Dr. Woo will evaluate your medical history to determine if you are a candidate for IV sedation in the office.
A patient who undergoes IV sedation first has an IV started in a vein in the arm. The medication is then administered through the IV line, and within one to two minutes, the patient will fall asleep (sedation). Once a person is sedated, the surgical procedure will commence.
During this period of sedation, the patient is continually monitored by Dr. Woo and his staff. Specialized monitoring equipment that is used includes a heart rhythm monitor, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximetry and capnography monitor.
After the surgery is complete, it usually takes about 20-30 minutes for a patient to wake up and be ready to go home. A responsible adult is required to escort the patient back home.
How is IV Conscious Sedation different from other forms of sedation?
IV conscious sedation is different from oral sedation and general anesthesia. In oral conscious sedation, a person takes an oral pill and must commonly wait about 60-90 minutes for a feeling of relaxation to take affect. A patient can be given larger doses to become unaware of what is going on (sedation), it is difficult to dose to this level and there is a risk of over-sedation. In general anaesthesia, the patient has a deep anaesthetic which requires supervision by an anaesthetist, and the patient has a breathing tube inserted to maintain proper breathing.
Training And Safety
Dr. Woo has the required license for provision of conscious sedation in the office and has certification in ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support). His staff has certification in CPR, and the assistants have certification by DAANCE (Dental Anesthesia Assistant National Certification Exam) and CDAAC (Canadian Dental Anesthesia Assistant Course). Our clinic at DLE has the Training D Safety requirements set forth by the College of Dental Surgeons of BC for provision of moderate conscious sedation in a non-hospital facility.
Contact us today to learn more.