Sedation

Minimal Conscious Sedation

If you have dental anxiety, minimal conscious sedation is an excellent way to feel more relaxed during your dental appointment. Minimal conscious sedation means that you will remain awake, alert and responsive to commands throughout the procedure, but will experience a relaxing sense of calm throughout the appointment.

Beforehand, you will need to complete a medical history form noting any medications you are currently taking and sit down with Dr. Kearney to discuss your health history. Some patients will need a note from their physician as well stating that we are approved to sedate you. Your vitals (blood pressure, breathing, pulse, etc.) will all be monitored through a hospital-style monitor. It is requested that you do not to eat anything for at least six hours before the appointment; water can be consumed up until the appointment.

Before the procedure, Dr. Kearney will prescribe you a mild sedative, such as, Valium, Xanax, Halcion or similar. You will need to pick up your prescription from your pharmacy and bring it with you to your appointment one hour in advance. Once at the dental office, Dr. Kearney will administer the medication for your safety, taking into account your health and medical history. Once the sedation has taken place and you are relaxed, a local anesthetic will be used to make you numb where your dental work is to be performed.

As with any medication, there are side effects to minimal conscious sedation, but they are minor. Side effects can include:

Light-headedness
Dizziness
Headache
Nausea

It can take up to 24 hours for the sedation agents to leave your body. During this time, you should restrict certain activities such as:

Driving a vehicle
Cooking or using electrical appliances
Operating heavy machinery
Looking after children
Physical activity (e.g., jogging, bike riding)
Making important decisions
Using alcohol or tobacco
Taking sleeping tablets, etc.
And more

Please keep in mind that you will need someone to drive you to and from the office.

The cost is $250 regardless of insurance due to the extra time and equipment involved in your sedation.

At Austin Bluffs Dental, we take time to listen and answer all your questions, forming long-term, trusting relationships.

I’ve been going to Dr. Kearney for 33 years now and never had something I needed special work on until this month when I broke off a piece of my tooth on a popcorn kernel. I was able to get an appointment that same day and waited only a few minutes before the dental assistant looked at the tooth, took X-rays, and Dr. Kearney came in a few minutes later and repaired the tooth. I was done in an hour and able to eat later that night with no pain.

Peter Yost, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

Kind, friendly, helpful staff. Good quality service. I recommend.

Christina Castillo, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

I am so happy I have finally found a dental home!!! I love the staff…Dr. Kearney, Leslie, Chris and Barbara thank you for making me feel so incredibly comfortable and welcome. Going to the dentist can be scary but this office is so inviting…plus they play great music. I would definitely recommend to my friends and family!!!

Lindsey Ryan, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

Always a great professional and personable visit! All staff members are awesome and have really great sense of urgency and humors. They get to know you and call you by your first name, that just makes you feel right at home! Family has had the best dental experience in 15 years. Dr. Kearney is amazing, he’s quick and painless. Love his attention to detail, great prices, tips on dental health and his knowledge. Will be there for the for seeable future!

Tony Thomas, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

I was treated with the utmost respect and compassion. I had two extractions and expected to have severe pain but I have been able to go all day without any medication. Dr. Kearney and staff are extremely pleasant to deal with. Dr. Kearney even called me up that evening to check on how I was doing! I have found my new dentist.

Linda Krenrich, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

Dr. Kearney at Austin Bluffs Dental is an excellent dentist. The staff is well established and does an excellent job as well. I am very happy with the work he and his team do. I have been a patient for over 10 years and have had a lot of work done on my teeth, both cosmetic and necessary. All of the work is holding up very well, not a single problem! It is awesome going into their office with such a personable staff. Thanks for your hard work and for giving me the ability to smile confidently!

David Bergstrom, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

Doc K and the team is great – caring, thorough and very attentive to detail. What more could you want! Thanks for not retiring yet and pushing through this pandemic to care for your patients!

Joel Tanaka, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

How often do you go to the dentist and actually have fun? I did today! The entire Austin Bluffs Dental team is very friendly and was caring about my comfort. But their willingness to joke around and have fun certainly made it much easier to walk into that hour-long treatment in the chair. Compared to the somber, no-smile dentists I’ve been to in the past, walking into a friendly, laughing atmosphere is really enjoyable. Of course, I’m not saying Dr. Kearney’s jokes were actually good, (😄), but his work absolutely was! Minimum discomfort, continuous checking on how I was feeling, and an explanation of what will be done on the next visit. I’m actually looking forward to it – never thought I’d ever say that about going to the dentist!!

Glyn Howells, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

My experience with Dr. Kearney was exactly what I was hoping for. For anyone who quakes at the thought of going to the dentist is fear of being in an uncomfortable situation with a rushed feeling, this office setting was relaxing from the moment I walked in. The office staff was friendly and caring, making me feel at ease and like I was important to them even as a new client. The amount time I was given to address my conditions and concerns with Dr. Kearney was more than two previous attempts I had made to be diagnosed. His attention to detail for every issue, attention to detail for exact treatment down to every tooth was exactly what I needed to know even if it was daunting to find out the amount of damage that has occurred. Being given the truth and not fluff on how long, how extensive, and how much the cost would be makes all the difference in the world.

K, Patient at Austin Bluffs Dental

Minimal Conscious Sedation

At Austin Bluffs Dental, we take time to listen and answer all your questions, forming long-term, trusting relationships.

We look forward to seeing you!

Our Reviews