IV Sedation in Burke, VA
What Is IV Sedation?
Your solution to eliminating paralyzing dental fear and finally taking back your smile!
IV sedation puts you in a sleep-like state throughout your entire dental appointment. You won’t hear, feel, or smell anything during your visit, and afterward, you’ll wake up with no memory of the procedure.
Our certified sedation dentist, Dr. Alex McMillan, partners with SleepGuardian’s physician anesthesiologists to offer you hospital-level general anesthesia and safety within our office.
Patients considering IV sedation usually:
Would IV sedation help you get the dental care you need?
Why Patients Choose IV Sedation
Administering medication intravenously ensures you’ll feel the effects of the sedation quickly and to the proper degree.
The anesthesiologists can adjust your medication levels, so you feel completely unconscious and unaware of the sights and sounds around you.
You’ll leave with no memories of the treatment, only the dazzling results of a healthy, picture-perfect smile.
Dr. McMillan and his staff are amazing. I have been going to this office for 10+ years now, and for 10+ years, I look forward to visiting the dentist. They will do whatever it takes to make sure you are comfortable and feel at ease while you are there.
Joseph A., Actual Patient
Meet Your Dream Team (Literally!)
Our certified sedation dentist, Dr. Alex McMillan, partners with SleepGuardian for the most relaxing, stress-free dental care in Northern Virginia.
You deserve to have a beautiful, healthy smile, and Dr. McMillian is here to help you overcome any barriers preventing that from happening.
Here are a few ways he makes that possible:
“Well, my new wife’s father had work done here so she said, ‘It’s time to go to the dentist’, and I said, ‘Oh no it isn’t, I have post stress disorder from dentistry and I’m not going.’ But she got me up here and I got trust with Dr. Alex and from there on the train left the track and we just kept going till I got good teeth. I’ve never had any trust in a dentist before and Dr. McMillan gave me trust in dentistry again.”
The Top Questions About IV Sedation
- Who is a candidate for sedation dentistry?
Sedation is most suited for people with a genuine fear or anxiety that is otherwise preventing them from going to the dentist. Sedation dentistry may also be suitable for people who:
- Have a low pain threshold
- Cannot sit still
- Have trouble getting or staying numb
- Have extremely sensitive teeth
- Have a severe gag reflex
- Need a substantial amount of dental work
Not sure if sedation dentistry is right for you? Give us a call to find out: 703-503-9490.
- Can any dentist perform IV sedation?
Most dentists can offer minimal sedation, including nitrous oxide or pills, and an increasing number of dentists can perform moderate levels of sedation.
However, only a small portion of dentists who’ve completed the CODA program in deep sedation and general anesthesia are permitted to use these more sophisticated techniques.
Each state’s dental board carefully regulates the use of sedation techniques. Many states require dentists to hold permits to perform sedation on any level. Dr. McMillan is licensed and certified for all forms, including IV sedation in Virginia.
- What is SleepGuardian?
SleepGuardian provides in-office sedation via physician anesthesiologists.
These anesthesiologists are medical doctors with more than 12 years of education and 12,000+ hours of training in anesthesia care, critical care medicine, and pain, airway, and emergency management.
By having IV sedation administered and monitored by an anesthesiologist, Dr. McMillian can focus solely on the treatment at hand. SleepGuardian will ensure you are comfortable, pain-free, and safe throughout the entire procedure.
- Is IV sedation safe?
There’s always a risk when receiving anesthesia; however, when given by experienced and appropriately trained dentists, it’s normally very safe. Certain people, such as those who’re overweight or who have obstructive sleep apnea, should talk to their family doctor before undergoing sedation, as they are more likely to develop complications from the anesthesia.
It’s essential to ensure that your dentist is not only trained but also qualified to offer the type of sedation you’ll be receiving.
Before the procedure, your dentist should review your entire medical history. They should also determine whether you’re an appropriate candidate for sedation and get information about any medications you are currently using.
You should ask what dosage of the sedative is suitable for your age, body-type, and health. You should also inquire whether it’s within the dosage recommended by the FDA.
It is critical to find out how much training the dentist has, and how many procedures he or she has performed using sedation. In this case, more is better.
You should receive a form listing the risks of the procedure. Go over it carefully with your dentist. Ask questions if you are unclear on any of the phrasings.
Your dentist should monitor your vital signs during the procedure following the American Dental Association’s existing guidelines… This text opens a new tab to guidelines…. The dentist should also have oxygen, artificial ventilation, and drugs that can reverse the effects of sedation in case you need them.