Sedation Dentistry in the Virgin Islands

• Variety: Sedation dentistry includes options like oral, IV, and nitrous oxide sedation, tailored to individual comfort and needs.
• Experience: Sedation ensures calmness without necessarily causing sleep, providing a pain-free and sometimes unaware experience during dental procedures.
• Safety: Sedation is safer and involves fewer risks compared to general anesthesia, not typically requiring extensive monitoring.
• Candidates: Ideal for those with dental anxiety, sensitivity, or undergoing extensive procedures, and VI Dental Center is ready to consult on individual cases.
• To schedule an appointment or to get more information, reach out to us at (340) 776-6056 for our St. Thomas office or (340) 772-6000 for our St. Croix location. You can also complete our contact form.

Receiving dental care, including surgeries or procedures requiring sedation, may feel overwhelming for some patients. However, receiving sedation during your dental care can help you reduce any stress you may have, especially if you receive care from qualified dental providers. If you are looking for quality dental care, VI Dental Center always practices compassionate and comprehensive techniques. We use advanced and updated technologies while caring for our patients, and our team can provide you with comfort and confidence in your care.

With a decade-long commitment to the families of the Virgin Islands, we offer a range of services, including sedation dentistry, to ensure a comfortable and anxiety-free dental experience. The team, including Drs. Jones, Cabbell, Wall, Amarteifio, and others, brings valuable experience in various dental treatments, aiming to give patients a beautiful, healthy smile. Located in St. Croix and St. Thomas, VI Dental Center is dedicated to delivering personalized care and advanced dental solutions for all of our patients​​.

Sedation dentistry may involve various types, such as oral sedation, IV sedation, or the use of nitrous oxide. Dentists may use a variety of drugs, but you can request additional information about your provider’s preferences. You can also make requests if some forms of sedation feel more comfortable for you than others.

You may not necessarily fall asleep if you are sedated during a dental procedure or surgery, but patients are expected to feel calmer. Patients also should not feel any pain or discomfort during sedation, and there may be cases where they are unaware of the sedation until they wake up.

Sedation is different from general anesthesia, as anesthesia is a controlled and induced loss of consciousness for a patient. However, sedation is regarded as the reduced consciousness and reaction to external stimuli by the patient. 

Going under anesthetics can result in a sedative reaction by the patient, but it may also result in analgesia, amnesia, and muscle paralysis. This means sedation is less extreme than the effects a patient might experience while influenced by anesthesia.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your dental health, mental well-being, and the factors surrounding future procedures, you may be a strong candidate for sedation. In particular, the following individuals are likely to benefit from sedation:

• Individuals with dental anxiety
• Disabled individuals
• People with medical conditions worsened by stress
• For those whom local anesthetics are ineffective
• Those undergoing extensive, lengthy, or traumatic procedures
• Individuals with extreme pain or sensitivity during procedures
• Those with strong gag or swallowing reflexes

If you are unsure whether you should undergo sedation during your upcoming dental procedure, the specialists at VI Dental Center are dedicated to prioritizing the comfort and safety of our patients, and this includes you. We are happy to answer any of your questions about sedation, the procedure you expect to undergo, and anything else relating to your care.

In general, sedation is considered safer and less risky than anesthesia. While sedation is not necessarily risk-free, there are very few significant risks associated with sedation. If you are sedated, there is a very rare chance that you will undergo changes in heart rate or blood pressure. There is also a risk of a slightly decreased rate of breathing.

Anesthesia typically requires additional monitoring from anesthesiology specialists or teams, including monitoring for the respiratory system. Sedation does not require this level of extensive monitoring. 

If you are still concerned about the risks associated with using sedatives during a dental procedure, we encourage you to contact VI Dental Center. We are happy to answer any of your questions and ease your concerns. Additionally, we can answer questions about risk factors that may indicate if alternative options should be used or considered. Your health and safety are our top priorities, so you can trust us to provide high-quality care.