IV SEDATION DENTISTRY

IN BIXBY, OK

At Dental Arts, we offer in-house IV sedation dentistry treatments from warm, friendly, and certified sedation dentists.

Make Yourself Completely Comfortable With The Dental Arts

It can be pretty nerve-wracking to visit your dentist for an oral check-up or procedure. The idea of needles, dental procedures, or even the dentist alone can bring up feelings of fear and anxiety, leading you to put off dental visits. However, this can lead to an increased risk for tooth loss, oral cancer, or dental infections. Thankfully, IV sedation is the end-all to dental anxiety.


With our IV sedation dentistry, you can leave your dental anxiety in the doorway. IV sedation helps you to calm down and feel at peace, removing any fears you may have. Along with the compassionate care of Dr. Michaelsen and his entire staff, our sedation options will help you relax while receiving the most comfortable dental care. 


If you’re afraid to go to the dentist, fear no more. The dental technicians at Dental Arts are here to make you completely comfortable. Call today or schedule an appointment online to get started. Or, continue reading to learn more about IV sedation dentistry, its benefits, and why it may be the right choice for you.

What Is IV Sedation Dentistry?

IV sedation dentistry, also known as sleep dentistry, is a type of conscious sedation that helps you to relax and feel comfortable during your dental appointment. IV sedation doesn’t put you to sleep completely, but it does reduce how aware you are of your surroundings.


This makes it easier for the dentist to work on your mouth but also leaves you conscious enough to respond to questions or follow directions. Unlike other forms of sedation such as nitrous oxide or pills, the dentist administers the sedation intravenously (IV), meaning it enters through your vein.

A young boy is laying in a dental chair with an oxygen mask on his face.

Levels of Sedation

There are varying levels of sedation that you may experience. This depends on a variety of factors. The type of procedure and how your body responds to anesthesia, as well as age, medical condition, and health habits may all affect the type of anesthesia you receive.



The levels of sedation are:


  • Minimal Sedation - At this level, it’s easy to relax, but you are awake. You can respond normally to verbal commands and directions. 
  • Moderate Sedation - You’re still awake at this level, but you may feel drowsy and even fall asleep during the procedure. In general, patients retain the ability to respond to verbal commands but may require gentle nudging from the dentist.
  • Deep Sedation - Here, you won’t be fully unconscious, however, you’ll most likely sleep through the procedure. If necessary you can be awakened, though you may not remember most or any of the procedure.
  • General Anesthesia - You are entirely unconscious and unaware of your surroundings or stimulation.

The Benefits of

IV Sedation

Any type of sedation is effective in helping you feel completely comfortable and safe during a procedure. However, IV sedation provides several benefits:

  • Deep Relaxation

    IV sedation places patients on the deepest level of relaxation. Patients are semi-conscious, meaning they are awake and responsive to verbal commands and directions. Most patients don’t retain any memory of the procedure overall. This makes it a great option for those with any level of dental phobia.

  • Starts Working Quickly

    Another advantage of IV sedation is that it takes effect quickly. Oral sedation medication may take an hour or more to fully take effect and is required to be taken at home before the procedure. IV sedation starts working within seconds, reaching the brain near-instantly and inducing deep relaxation. This also gets rid of any anxiety or fear that the patient may feel while waiting for the sedative.

  • Easily Adjustable

    Once administered, oral sedation doesn’t allow for the dentist to control its length or effectiveness. With IV sedation, we maintain control of how much sedation the patient is receiving from start to finish. We start with small doses, increasing gradually until the desired level of sedation is reached. 


    Once the patient is fully relaxed and comfortable, we can cease the administration of the sedative. If the patient shows signs of consciousness, we can also provide another dose. Not only does this allow the dentist control during the procedure, but it’s also easier for the patient to wake up once complete.

  • Quick Recovery

    From the moment that the dentist stops administering the sedative, the effects begin to wear off. Even though you’ll still need someone to drive you home after the procedure, you’ll return to normal faster.

  • Better Oral Health

    IV sedation offers such a deep level of relaxation that dentists can conduct dental work, which is essential to have better oral health. Because the patient can cooperate without feeling any anxiety or pain, we can perform several procedures with only one or two appointments. 

why choose dental arts?

At Dental Arts, caring for patients not only means ensuring they obtain the dental treatments they need—it also means creating a completely comfortable atmosphere. We offer our patients amenities such as warm blankets and water to help them relax and feel safe. 


More, we offer up to 25% off on our in-office dental plan and are available for evening and weekend appointments. All of this makes it simple and easy for our patients to maintain peak dental health.