IV Dental Sedation in Carbondale

Dental anxiety is a very common condition among the American population. Dentistry is in many cases the only specialty of healthcare in which patients are helped while they are completely awake, and the tooth/ area in question is simply numbed directly. This can be effective for very simple procedures (basic fillings, routine teeth cleaning, periodic exams, etc.) Yet why do we as a profession expect our patients to be awake for more involved dental procedures?

Dr. Rivers firmly believes that there is a better way. Modern medicine and dentistry has discovered and developed highly safe and effective sedatives to assist patients get the care they need without the anxiety of anticipation, wondering if they will or will not feel pain, and the experience of lying in the chair while the important work is completed.

Because of this, Rivers Dentistry proudly offers the full spectrum of sedation.

There are four levels of sedation dentistry: local anesthetic numbing (most common historically in this country and the world), mild sedation and local numbing (nitrous oxide and Novocaine), moderate sedation and local numbing, where the patient is heavily relaxed, yet maintains their own airway and can still respond to commands. Moderate sedation results in a total amensic effect in more than 90% of all cases (the patient does not remember the procedure). Moderate sedation can be accomplished with oral sedation or IV sedation and local numbing, provided by Dr. Rivers. The fourth and highest level of sedation is General Anesthesia (hospital level sedation). In General Anesthesia a breathing tube is used to breathe for the patient and the patient is entirely "asleep." This level of sedation IS possible at Rivers Dentistry and will be administered by one of Dr. Rivers anesthesiologist colleagues.

We provide these services because we believe in them, please don't hesitate to ask us any questions about which level will be the best for you.