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What medications do you use?
The choice of medications is based on the patient’s needs and their health, and the intensity and length of the dental procedure. Great Lakes Sedations provides both oral and IV sedations, utilizing the most effective and safe sedatives. Most patient anxiety is relieved with a benzodiazepine derivative, such as Valium or Versed IV patients can have additional medications, such as a narcotic, an antibiotic, an anti-sialogogue, or anti-histamine.
Do you provide general anesthesia?
There are 5 levels of sedation:
1. Alert and awake.
2. Alert and sedated. (Slurred speach, slowed reactions).
3. Asleep and easily aroused.
4. Asleep and difficult to arouse.
5. General anesthesia (Absence of painful response to a surgical stimulus).
When we sedate patients, we provide conscious sedation. (We target Level 3, with occasional drifts into Level 4). General anesthesia is best done in a hospital or oral surgeon’s office. We do not provide general anesthesia.
Do I need to provide local anesthesia on a sedated patient?
Yes. Your sedated patient will be able to feel any pain or noxious stimulus.
Do I need to have the patient sign a consent form?
Yes! A standard consent form for the sedation is required. Have your patient read it carefully, initial each paragraph where indicated, and sign and witness it. If they have any questions or objections you can’t answer, please contact us and we’ll be happy to resolve the issue.
Click here to download Consent Form
Are there any other forms or paperwork I need to give my patient?
There are patient instructions, pre- and post-sedation, and a medical history form available here to download. These are part of the planning and pres-sedation consultation process and are a required part of the legal documenation.
Patient Instructions
Medical History Page 1
Medical History Page 2
I have a patient who has a history of cardiac problems. Is sedation contraindicated?
We screen all sedation candidates carefully, including a consultation with the patient’s physician or specialists if indicated. We monitor all cardiac patients with an EKG and will reverse the sedation if a problem is detected. In general, sedation for a patient with a cardiac problem is a good idea because it significantly lowers their stress and decreases the load on their impaired heart.
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