Moderate – You will feel drowsy and may even fall asleep during the procedure. You may or may not remember some of the procedure. Deep – You won't actually be unconscious, but you'll sleep through the procedure and probably will have little or no memory of it.
With minimal and moderate sedation, you feel comfortable, sleepy and relaxed. You may drift off to sleep at times, but will be easy to wake. With general anaesthesia, you are completely unaware and unconscious during the procedure. Deep sedation is between the two.
Anesthesia won't make you confess your deepest secrets
It's normal to feel relaxed while receiving anesthesia, but most people don't say anything unusual. Rest assured, even if you do say something you wouldn't normally say while you are under sedation, Dr. Meisinger says, “it's always kept within the operating room.
IV sedation puts you in a much safer and more comfortable “semi-awake” state of reduced anxiety. After the procedure, you will most likely have little or no memory of the treatment because of the amnesic effect of the medications used to provide the sedation.
Anesthetics activate memory-loss receptors in the brain, ensuring that patients don't remember traumatic events during surgery. Professor Beverley Orser and her team found that the activity of memory loss receptors remains high long after the drugs have left the patient's system, sometimes for days on end.
Postoperative delirium – This is a temporary condition that causes the patient to be confused, disoriented, unaware of their surroundings, and have problems with memory and paying attention. It may not start until a few days after surgery, comes and goes, and usually disappears after about a week.
You will probably believe you were asleep the entire time, with no recollection of pain, scary sounds, smells or other negative experiences. There is no panic associated with conscious sedation.
The process of waking up from anesthesia is known as emergence. During emergence, the anesthesiologist will slowly reduce the amount of anesthetic drugs in the body. This helps to reduce the intensity of the effects of anesthesia and allows the patient to regain consciousness.
Although general anesthetics put you completely under, IV sedatives induce what is known as “twilight sleep.” This state means that you're not really unconscious, but you are much less aware of your surroundings and deeply relaxed. As a result, you will have little or no memory of the appointment afterward.
Can patients hear us when they are very asleep? It is possible that patients can hear and feel what is going on around them, even when apparently unconscious, but they might be too sleepy to respond when we speak to them or hold their hand.
For years anesthetists believed that there was no dreaming during anesthesia, yet, a portion of patients reported dreams after recovery from anesthesia.
Although doctors often say that you'll be asleep during surgery, research has shown that going under anesthesia is nothing like sleep. “Even in the deepest stages of sleep, with prodding and poking we can wake you up,” says Brown.
Conscious sedation is a combination of medicines to help you relax (a sedative) and to block pain (an anesthetic) during a medical or dental procedure. You will probably stay awake, but may not be able to speak.
There are different levels of sedation — some patients are drowsy, but they are awake and can talk; others fall asleep and don't remember the procedure.
Deep Sedation: IV
Extremely relaxed. Comfortable during any procedure, even if you have sensitive teeth or gums. Virtually feel no pain.
How Long Does IV Sedation Last? IV sedation works quickly, with most people falling asleep in roughly 15 to 30 minutes after it's been administered. Once the IV sedation is removed, you will begin to wake up in about 20 minutes and be fully recovered from all sedative effects within six hours.
They can last from at least two to eight hours. The effects of this method of sedation depends on what type of pill that's used. The types of oral sedation include: Valium.
The condition, called anesthesia awareness (waking up) during surgery, means the patient can recall their surroundings, or an event related to the surgery, while under general anesthesia. Although it can be upsetting, patients usually do not feel pain when experiencing anesthesia awareness.
Some patients also may cry after being sedated, even if they are not feeling upset. You may also get a headache, an upset stomach, or feel nauseous. You will likely feel a bit drowsy and “out of it,” for a while after your treatment.
The biggest risks of IV sedation are the same for all forms of sedation. Because sedation relaxes the body, there's a risk that it could depress the respiratory systems. But keep in mind that you'll be monitored the entire time. And among sedation options, IV sedation is one of the most predictable.
The most common side effects associated with intravenous sedation are headaches, dizziness and nausea.
Immediately after Sedation at the Dentist
If your particular dental treatment requires a sedative or anesthetic, you'll still be loopy after the procedure is complete, and the full force of the anesthesia will take half an hour to wear off.
Nitrous oxide tends to make you feel a bit funny and “floaty.” You may even laugh at things that are happening around you, which is why it's also called “laughing gas.” However, this change in consciousness is very short-lived.
Coming out of general anesthesia is not the same sensation as waking up from a good night's sleep. But sometimes, after sedation, people wake up with a good feeling and interpret it as being well-rested. That's because sedative drugs can induce the release of dopamine, which gives you a sense of feeling good.