Are you planning on having dental surgery done that will require sedation? If so, you'll need to select which type of sedation you want to use to help you get through the procedure. Two popular options are to use intravenous or inhalation sedation, which each method having their own pros and cons. Here are the basics of what you need to know about these two sedation dentistry methods.

Inhalation Dental Sedation

Inhalation sedation requires that you put a mask on during your dental treatment, which helps you inhale a mixture of gas that contains oxygen and nitrous oxide, often referred to as laughing gas. It can help you feel very calm, and some say they experience a euphoric sensation when taking it. Patients that have used inhalation sedation say that they're aware of what is happening during the procedure but are not stressed at all about it. You will want to just go with the flow and not feel any anxiety or nervousness.

Your dentist has full control over the strength of the gas being administered to you, so they can give you more if the procedure is going to be more intense and start to lessen it as the procedure is winding down.

Many people like using inhalation because they know what is happening during the procedure and remember it afterward. The sedation also wears off fast, meaning a patient can drive themselves to and from the dental office when inhalation is used. However, some patients prefer to not know what is happening during a procedure, like a root canal or more invasive gum surgery. That is why they prefer an alternative method for sedation.

Intravenous Dental Sedation

Intravenous dental sedation, often called IV sedation, involves putting a drug into the bloodstream with an IV tube. You'll feel relaxed soon after the drug is administered while leaving you responsive throughout the dental surgery. However, a side effect is that you won't have any memory of what happened under IV sedation. This can be seen as either a pro or a con, depending on your feelings toward remembering the surgery.

IV sedation also takes a while to wear off. You definitely won't be in a condition to drive, so you'll need a friend to take you to and from the dental office to help deal with the sedation method.

No matter what your feelings are on dental sedation, your dentist will help you pick a method that will work best for you.