Sedation
Oral sedation is a medicine you swallow so that a visit is easier to get through. You stay awake and can talk with us. It is one choice among several, and it is not for everyone.
What happens
Sedation is never a first-visit decision. It is planned at a visit before the day.
- 01
Step 1: Talk it through
Dr. Zand asks about your health and your medicines, and explains what sedation can and can't do.
- 02
Step 2: Plan the day
She tells you when to stop eating and drinking, what to take and when, and who needs to drive you.
- 03
Step 3: The visit
You take the medicine as she directs. We check your breathing, your pulse and how alert you are, and an assistant stays in the room.
- 04
Step 4: Recovery
We stay with you until you are steady, then give you written after-care and send you home with the adult you brought.
The medicine, the dose and the timing are Dr. Zand's decision for you, not a menu to pick from.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
Local numbing is still used for treatment. Sedation does not replace it. You can still raise a hand, and we stop.
If you wait
If you skip sedation, we can talk about shorter visits, breaks, headphones or a different time of day. Dr. Zand will tell you what she thinks is reasonable for your treatment.
Risks and after-care
Sedation can cause drowsiness that lasts into the day, nausea, or a medicine that works differently than expected. Dr. Zand reviews the risks with you before you decide and may advise against it. Don't drive, drink alcohol or sign papers for the rest of the day.
How it's billed
Dental plans seldom pay for sedation. The fee goes in your written estimate before the day, and we tell you what we expect your plan to do.
How fees work
Someone stays beside you
Sedation does not mean being left alone.
An assistant is in the room for the whole visit, and Dr. Zand talks with you before, during and after. If you want to stop, say so or raise a hand. If you change your mind on the day, that is a fine reason to go home.
During the visit
An assistant in the room throughout
A raised hand stops the visit
You can change your mind on the day
Questions about sedation
Who gives the sedation?
Dr. Zand, under a sedation permit from the Indiana State Board of Dentistry. An assistant stays in the room. The owner confirms the permit and its level.
Will I be awake?
Yes. Oral sedation leaves you awake and able to answer. Many people feel calm and drowsy.
Do I need someone to take me home?
Yes. An adult drives you and stays with you for the day.
Can anyone have it?
No. Dr. Zand decides after she reviews your health history and medicines, and she may say no.
Can I eat before my visit?
Dr. Zand will tell you when to stop eating and drinking when you book. The rule depends on the plan she makes with you.
Provided by a general dentist
Dr. Mina Zand, DDS, general dentist, licensed in Indiana.