For some people, going to the dentist causes a little nervousness. For others, it’s enough to keep them away for years.
Maybe it was a bad experience in the past. Maybe certain sounds, sensations or even the thought of sitting in the dental chair are difficult to handle. Sometimes there isn’t one specific reason at all. Dental anxiety can simply be overwhelming.
And reassurance only goes so far.
That’s where IV sedation can help. Shorewood Family Dental Care offers IV sedation for patients who need a deeper level of relaxation to comfortably receive dental treatment. IV sedation can be helpful for managing dental anxiety, a lengthy procedure or both.
Dr. Robert Funk has been trained and certified in IV sedation since 2004 and has more than two decades of experience providing sedation dentistry in Shorewood.
What is IV Sedation Dentistry?
IV sedation uses medication delivered directly into the bloodstream through an IV. It works quickly, and because the medication is administered intravenously, the level of sedation can be adjusted during treatment.
You may also hear it called “twilight sedation.”
The name can be a little misleading. You aren’t necessarily unconscious. With IV conscious sedation, you’re deeply relaxed and generally still able to respond when needed but you may be far less aware of what’s happening around you. Many patients also remember very little about the appointment afterward.
For someone whose biggest obstacle is simply getting through the experience of dental treatment, that can change things considerably.
Is IV Sedation the Same as General Anesthesia?
No. IV conscious sedation and general anesthesia are different.
General anesthesia renders a patient unconscious. With IV conscious sedation, you remain in a deeply relaxed state but can generally still respond to your dental team.
We’ll explain exactly what to expect before your appointment. You should never be wondering what kind of sedation you’re receiving or what it means.
Who May Benefit From IV Sedation?
Not everybody needs IV sedation. In fact, plenty of patients do perfectly well with no sedation at all or with a lighter option such as nitrous oxide.
But sometimes anxiety isn’t mild. And sometimes the dental work itself is going to take a while.
IV sedation may be worth discussing if you:
- Experience severe dental fear or anxiety.
- Have avoided dental treatment because of fear.
- Have difficulty becoming comfortable during dental procedures.
- Have a strong gag reflex.
- Are undergoing a longer or more involved dental procedure.
- Need multiple procedures completed during the same visit.
- Have had difficulty tolerating dental treatment in the past.
- Prefer to have little memory of their procedure.
Whether IV sedation is appropriate depends on your health, treatment needs and individual circumstances. Your dentist will review these factors with you before recommending sedation.
IV Sedation for Severe Dental Anxiety
Dental anxiety has a way of snowballing.
You put off an appointment because you’re nervous. Then more time passes. Now you’re worried there might be a bigger problem — and worried about being judged for not coming in sooner. So you wait again.
A few months becomes a year. Sometimes several.
If that sounds familiar, the first conversation isn’t going to be about why you waited so long. It’s about what you need now and what would make receiving care easier.
Sometimes IV sedation is part of that answer. For some patients, sedation is what finally makes returning to regular dental care feel possible. What you need at future appointments can always be reevaluated later.
IV Sedation for Longer or Complex Dental Procedures
Fear and calming dental anxiety isn’t the only reason someone may choose IV sedation. Sometimes the appointment is simply a lot.
Multiple procedures. Extensive restorative work. Implant treatment. A longer stretch of time in the dental chair than you’re comfortable with.
In those situations, IV sedation may make it easier to complete needed treatment while remaining deeply relaxed.
Depending on your individual treatment plan, sedation may be discussed for procedures involving:
- Dental implants.
- Oral surgery.
- Multiple dental crowns.
- Extensive restorative dentistry.
- Full-mouth reconstruction.
- Multiple procedures performed during the same appointment.
Being able to complete more treatment comfortably can be particularly helpful for patients who would otherwise find a long dental appointment difficult to tolerate.
What Does IV Sedation Feel Like?
Most patients describe becoming very relaxed and drowsy once the medication takes effect. Awareness of what’s happening around you may fade considerably.
Then there’s the memory piece. IV sedation medications can produce an amnesic effect, so patients may remember very little (and sometimes nothing) about portions of the procedure afterward.
You aren’t necessarily unconscious. It may just feel afterward like the appointment went by very quickly.
What Happens During an IV Sedation Appointment?
First, we make sure IV sedation is appropriate for you. That means reviewing your medical history, medications and planned dental treatment ahead of time. You’ll also receive instructions for preparing for your appointment.
On the day of treatment, the IV is placed and the medication begins working relatively quickly. Your condition is monitored throughout the procedure while your dentist completes the planned treatment.
Afterward, you’ll have some recovery time before leaving the office.
One thing you’ll need to plan ahead for: you cannot drive yourself home. A responsible adult will need to take you home after IV sedation, and you should plan on taking it easy for the rest of the day.
Experience Matters With IV Sedation
IV sedation isn’t offered in every general dental office. It requires additional education and training.
Dr. Robert Funk completed his Certificate in IV Sedation at Montefiore Hospital in Bronx, New York, in 2004. He has been providing sedation dentistry for more than two decades, alongside advanced restorative, implant and comprehensive dental care.
That experience matters — particularly when a patient needs sedation because the dental treatment itself is extensive.
Instead of separating the anxiety from the dentistry, we can look at the whole picture: what treatment you need, what makes receiving it difficult and how we can make the process more manageable.
Is IV Sedation Safe?
Safety starts before the IV is ever placed. We review your medical history, medications and other relevant health information to determine whether IV sedation is appropriate for you. Not every patient is automatically a candidate.
You’ll also receive instructions about eating, drinking, medications, transportation and what to expect afterward. During treatment, you’ll be monitored while under sedation.
This is also why we need the full picture. Tell us about medications, supplements and health conditions even if you aren’t sure they’re relevant.
What If I Don’t Need IV Sedation?
Then we don’t use it.
The goal isn’t to use the strongest sedation available. It’s to use the level of support that makes sense for you and the treatment you’re having.
Shorewood Family Dental Care offers several dental sedation options, including nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation and IV sedation.
Someone with mild anxiety undergoing a short procedure may do very well with nitrous oxide. Another patient may benefit from oral conscious sedation. Someone with significant dental fear or a complex treatment plan may be better suited for IV sedation.
We’ll discuss the options with you and help determine which approach makes sense for your needs.
Don’t Let Dental Anxiety Decide for You
If you’ve been avoiding the dentist because you’re afraid of what happens once you get into the chair, you don’t need to solve the whole problem before calling us.
Start smaller. Tell us what you’re worried about. Tell us if you had a bad experience somewhere else. Tell us if it’s been five years since your last appointment. Or ten.
We can figure out the dentistry after that.
There’s no lecture waiting for you. We’re much more interested in helping you move forward.
Looking for an IV Sedation Dentist in Shorewood, IL?
Shorewood Family Dental Care provides IV sedation dentistry from our office at 607 W. Jefferson Street in Shorewood. We also welcome patients from Joliet, Plainfield, Minooka, Channahon and surrounding communities.
Dr. Funk has provided sedation dentistry for more than two decades and completed his formal IV sedation certification in 2004.
If anxiety has been making dental treatment difficult, or you know you have extensive dental work ahead, talk with us about whether IV sedation may be appropriate for you.
Call 815-725-5991 or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation and find out whether IV sedation near Joliet, IL may be appropriate for you.
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Originally published January 26, 2017. Updated September 3, 2026.
