Sedation and Anesthesia
Moderate sedation
Moderate sedation is a level of sedation in which you feel sleepy and may not remember much, but you can still be awakened and respond.
The ADA describes moderate sedation as sleepy but awake. You may slur your words, and you may remember little afterward. You can still respond to touch or to the dentist's voice. It can be reached with pills or with medicine through a vein, as in IV sedation. It is deeper than minimal sedation and lighter than deep sedation. A provider needs added training, emergency equipment, and the permit the state requires. Staff should watch your breathing and heart rate through the visit, which is sedation monitoring. This entry explains the term in general. See oral conscious sedation.