Oral Sedation: The Answer To Dental Anxiety

By Hanna Hanania, DDS, PS

The tiny pill prescribed is called Triazolam ( trye-ay-zoe-lam), also known as Halcion. The drug is the 101 most prescribed sleep aid medication in the United States. In 1988 dentist started prescribing Triazolam for dental sedation.

The use of Triazolam requires a patient comes to arrive at the office half an hour prior to their appointment so they can take the medication. After 45 minutes, most patients (75%) have amnesia (do not remember any or very little of the rest of the appointment). Although they are conscious, they are very relaxed. As stated by Nicole Dalphond, a patient who had been sedated

"With oral sedation, I did not get sick to my stomach and felt great when it was over.”

Staying awake allows the patient to communicate with the doctor if something is uncomfortable. The patient can still express their concerns to the doctor while they are under the influence of ...