Sedation dentist needed

sdavid

My wife is in need of dental care. She has advanced dementia, is nonverbal and cannot follow instructions. She will need sedation for the examination and work, but the sedation dentists with whom I have spoken say they need to examine her before accepting her as a patient.They won't sedate her for the exam. A catch-22. Has anyone had experience of this kind or have any suggestions? We live in the Orlando area.

M1

Hi Sdavid, I'm curious as to why you think she needs this? Is she in pain?

feudman

I would proceed with caution & visit other dentists. In my area, very few offer full sedation dentistry. It's VERY* expensive, and requires the anesthesiologist to stay present. If cost isn't a deterrent, you should read up on the danger full sedation presents to dementia patients...they don't always return from it at the same competency level. 

"Twilight sedation" is more often practiced. The initial exam is only minimally invasive, and I would think you could at least try it with something her PCP could prescribe to relax her. For more invasive procedures, the twilight sedation stands a good chance of being adequate, and I'd at least try it.

*I was quoted $5,000. for a small cavity & 2 extractions (sedation alone was $450. every 15 minutes). And they stressed that it should be scheduled ASAP. A second opinion from an oral surgeon revealed that there was no sign of inflammation or infection, hence no reason to act yet. And he advised against full sedation.

Best wishes to you both.

sdavid

That's very helpful. Thank you.