There are many common myths about the use of sedation, in dentistry, as far as what works and what doesn't. One of the most common myths, that we as dentists encounter, is the fact that most patients feel that when you get sedated that you are not numbed up, meaning you aren't subjected to needles and that simply is not true. Although, when we sedate you, you are in a lot more, a relaxed state. It's kind of inevitable that you still have to be adequately numb, so there are still needles involved, with the procedure; however, they are a lot more comfortable because of the relaxed state that you're in and certainly because of the amnesia effect, of the sedation, you simply do not remember the use of the needles. It's for that reason, as well, that we are often times worried about whether the memory of these instruments, will be recalled and typically, again, most people do not recall any incidence of the actual dental experience, itself. Other myths that we typically encounter are the fact that most people use the term "totally asleep," when they're discussing their dental sedation experience. It's very important to understand that most of the sedation's, that we do, while the patient is in a very relaxed state, they are not totally asleep. When we talk about totally asleep, we're referring, often times, to general anesthesia, which is what the patient would undergo a hospital based setting and that is a lot different, in the fact that, when you undergo general anesthesia, you are not able to maintain your own airway, you actually have a device attached to you, that assists you in breathing. With the sedation's, that we do in dentistry, you are very relaxed but you are still able to sustain your own breathing and respond to verbal command, which is a lot different, than general anesthesia. One of the other myths, which we will talk about, is the fact that most people feel that, after sedation, that you can basically go back that day and do whatever you were doing before. We typically tell you because of the effects, of the sedation, that you will really need about twenty-four hours before you do anything such as operating heavy machinery, driving or going to work or making any conscience decisions that would affect your life.
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