Sedation Dentistry Cost

Seeing a dentist makes many people feel jittery. The idea of submitting yourself to a stranger and allowing him to work in your mouth with shiny steel instruments doesn't appeal to most people. As a result, many people keep procrastinating their dental treatments and thus inflict serious damage to their oral health. Such apprehensive people may benefit from sedation dentistry, which essentially involves performing dental procedures while people are in an unconscious state. There are various types of sedation techniques. In this article, we have taken an overview of some of these techniques along with the corresponding cost for each of them.

Sedation Dentistry Cost for Different Techniques?
Sedation dentistry has been in practice since 1840. Then, the options of sedation were limited. However, over the time, sedation techniques have evolved a great deal to offer maximum comfort to the patient. These techniques are targeted at making the patient comfortable and at ease by inducing sleep or making him unconscious in some way. Remember, this is not same as anesthesia, in which the patient has no sensation of pain. Although, anesthesia may be administered for some dental procedures, it is an altogether different technique.

Nitrous Oxide Gas
Nitrous oxide gas has been used for sedation since ages. It is also known by the name of laughing gas, which has quite an exhilarating effect on the nerves of a patient. Besides, it is very fast acting and affects the senses of a patient in less than half a minute. Another advantage is that the effect wears off within 2-3 hours without any lingering side effects. Thus, the patient can drive himself home. This type of sedation is also called light sedation and typically costs somewhere between $225 - $300.

Oral Conscious Sedation
This technique involves use of an oral medication, mostly in the form of a pill. Patient takes the pill a few minutes prior to the dental procedure. The pill makes the patient drowsy and unaware of his surroundings, but it is not strong enough to make him actually fall asleep. This is also a form of light sedation and costs about as much as nitrous oxide sedation.

Local Anesthesia
Local anesthesia is the most widely used sedation technique. Although, it is not a sedation technique in the real sense, it certainly serves the purpose of making the patient unaware of the dental procedure. The technique involves injecting the small dose of numbing agent in mouth, mostly gums. Anesthesia numbs the area, where the dentist intends to operate. This technique may cost anywhere between $100 - $500, depending upon the dentist, geographical location and other factors.

Intramuscular Sedation
In this technique, a sedative is injected in the thigh or upper arm. This is an ideal technique for those who do not wish to get injected in the mouth. The cost may fall within the range of $100 - $500.

Intravenous Sedation
This is a unique technique of sedation in which the patient is given a sedative intravenously. The technique involves making a person feel as though he is unconscious, while in reality, he is awake and may respond to the dentist, should the need arise. Intravenous sedation is charged on an hourly basis, hence it is difficult to predict the cost. Yet, you may expect to spend around $600 for this kind of sedation.

General Anesthesia
This is not recommended unless absolutely demanded. When administered a general anesthesia, the patient is asleep throughout the procedure. The effects of general anesthesia linger for quite some time, forcing the person to stay in the clinic for at least 2-3 hours post dental surgery. General anesthesia may cost you anywhere between $300 - $1200.

One must note that the costs mentioned above do not take into account the cost of the dental procedure. You will have to pay for your dental procedure separately. Cost of sedation dentistry is not covered by a typical dental insurance. On the brighter side, you may get a complete waiver on this cost from your dentist, if your dental procedure itself is an extensive one costing several thousand dollars.