Driving After Sedation Dentistry: What You Need to Know

It depends.

For most patients, the answer is no. Sedation dentistry typically leaves patients in a state of drowsiness and impairs their ability to make sound decisions and operate machinery, including driving. For this reason, most dentists recommend that patients arrange for a ride home after their procedure.

However, in some cases, patients may be eligible to drive themselves home after sedation dentistry. This is usually only the case for patients who have undergone minimal sedation and are fully alert and oriented. The dentist will make the final decision about whether or not a patient is safe to drive themselves home after their procedure.

If you are considering undergoing sedation dentistry, talk to your dentist about the risks and benefits and be sure to arrange for a ride home if necessary.