A root canal is your best shot at treating a large cavity or badly infected tooth and avoiding an extraction.
If you are scheduled for a root canal at Smillie Dental or another practice in the Port Orange area, you might be wondering if you’ll be able to drive yourself home.
The short answer is that, in most cases, yes, you can.
Keep reading to learn more.
Why You Sometimes Can’t Drive Home After Dental Work
Not all dental visits end up with a friend driving you home. In fact, this scenario has less to do with the procedure you’ll undergo and more with whether you’ll be sedated for it.
Dental sedation is a crucial part of oral health. It helps people remain calm and relaxed during their appointment, which is why it’s recommended in the following cases:
- Severe gag reflex
- Dental anxiety
- Young children who cannot sit through a dental appointment
- Patients with disabilities that make it difficult for them to lie still
- Lengthy or complex dental work, etc.
If you are in any of these categories, you might require dental sedation, which means you may need someone to drive you home.
But it can depend on the type of sedation you receive.
Which Sedatives Require a Lift From a Friend?
There are four types of dental sedation. The most common one is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas.
It’s a mild sedative that only affects the patient as long as the gas is in their system. But, at the end of their appointment, they will breathe in oxygen, which helps remove all traces of the gas from their system.
Most patients have no problems driving themselves home after receiving laughing gas since they will be fully sober at the end of their appointment.
With other types of sedation, such as oral conscious or IV sedation, the effects last for longer. The dentist will recommend having someone drive you home.
Can You Drive After a Root Canal?
You can most likely drive yourself home after a root canal in Port Orange. Unless you receive a stronger sedative, like oral conscious or IV sedation, you will be perfectly alert and capable of driving.
Note that you might not require sedation for a root canal at all. The procedure can be done under a local anesthetic to ensure you don’t feel any pain or discomfort during it.
Sedation is used to help you feel relaxed, but if you don’t need it, you can choose to skip it.
Need a Root Canal? Smillie Dental Can Help
If you have a badly infected tooth or a large cavity, come see Dr. Joseph Smillie or Dr. Helen Smillie to find out if you need a root canal or access another way to restore your oral health.
Request a visit to Smillie Dental online or call us at (386) 317-4754 for more information.
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