Sleep through it and remember none of it
If fear is the reason you have not fixed your teeth, that is a solvable problem. Under IV sedation you stay conscious and feel no pain, and most patients leave with little or no memory of the procedure. 1,000+ cases, monitored throughout. We treat patients from across Los Angeles at our office in Beverly Hills.
IV sedation: $1,500 - $1,800, a flat fee
Your consultation, including a 3D X-ray (CT scan), is free.
Send photos if you have them. Either way, we reply with a cost. No obligation.
Ask about sedation
Reviewed by our treatment coordination team. Call or text (310) 770-3335 if you would rather speak now.
Request received
A treatment coordinator will call you within two hours during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9 to 4).
To talk now, call (310) 770-3335.
- A call within two hours during office hours.
- A written cost from us, before you commit to anything.
- No obligation. Many patients take weeks to decide. That is normal.
- Free consultation and 3D X-ray (CT scan)
- Private practice since 2012
- IV sedation in our own office
- In-house dental laboratory
Treated under IV sedation.
Every smile on this site was made here: our patients, our laboratory, our work.
An upper arch on four implants after gum disease, with pink porcelain.See the case →
Two failed implants replaced, with bone grafting, and the smile redone in porcelain.See the case →
An upper arch rebuilt around the teeth worth keeping.See the case →
Seventeen teeth out, both arches rebuilt on eight implants.See the case →
A crossbite corrected with veneers and two implants.See the case →
Years of grinding wear restored, upper and lower.See the case →What IV sedation is.
IV sedation, also called intravenous conscious sedation or twilight sedation, is sedative medication administered directly into the bloodstream through a small needle in the arm or hand. Unlike general anesthesia, it keeps you in a deeply relaxed, semi-conscious state: you breathe on your own and can respond when spoken to, but you do not feel pain or anxiety, and you have little or no memory of the procedure afterward.
Because the medication enters the bloodstream directly, it works quickly, and Dr. Mehdizadeh can control the depth of sedation throughout the procedure. Oral sedation, a pill taken beforehand, is less predictable, takes longer to work and cannot be adjusted once taken.
Most patients describe it as falling into a peaceful, dreamlike sleep. Time seems to pass in an instant: a two-hour procedure feels like minutes.
Who IV sedation helps.
Patients who have avoided dental care because of fear or anxiety. Avoidance lets problems grow, the eventual treatment becomes larger, and that reinforces the fear. Sedation breaks the cycle.
It also helps people with a strong gag reflex, people who have trouble getting numb with local anesthesia alone, people whose jaw tires from holding the mouth open, and anyone who needs extensive work done in fewer appointments. What might take three or four visits can often be done in one.
Dr. Mehdizadeh reviews your medical history before any sedation to confirm it is appropriate for you, including if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition.
Monitored throughout.
We monitor four vital signs continuously: pulse oximetry, blood pressure, ECG and capnography, which measures the carbon dioxide you breathe out. A team member watches them throughout while Dr. Mehdizadeh does the dental work. Emergency equipment and reversal agents for the sedative medications are on site.
The sedation is administered by Dr. Mehdizadeh, not by a visiting anesthetist you meet on the day.
How the sedation options differ.
Nitrous oxide, laughing gas, gives mild relaxation and wears off within minutes; it suits minor procedures and mild anxiety. Oral sedation, a prescription pill taken before the appointment, gives moderate relaxation but is less predictable and cannot be adjusted once taken. IV sedation gives the deepest relaxation available in a dental office, with precise control throughout.
General anesthesia makes you completely unconscious, needs an anesthesia provider and help with breathing, and takes longer to recover from. For dental treatment, IV sedation gives comparable comfort while you keep breathing on your own and go home the same day with a companion to drive you.
Before, during and after.
Most appointments under sedation run one to three hours.
Consultation
Dr. Mehdizadeh reviews your medical history and medications, talks through your anxiety, and decides with you whether IV sedation is right.
Preparing
Nothing to eat or drink for at least eight hours before, including water, coffee and gum. Arrange an adult to drive you home and stay with you. Wear loose sleeves, and no nail polish or contact lenses.
Arriving
We review your history once more, place the monitors, and place a small IV in your arm or hand: a brief pinch, which for most patients is the only discomfort of the day.
Sedation and treatment
Dr. Mehdizadeh administers the medication slowly until you are relaxed, then the local anesthesia, so you feel no pain during the dental work. He adjusts the depth of sedation as needed throughout.
Recovery
Most patients respond normally within 15 to 30 minutes. We monitor you until you are stable, then hand you and your written instructions to your driver.
The rest of the day
Rest at home. No driving, machinery, important decisions or signing documents. Most patients feel normal by the next morning and return to work.
Treatment under sedation.
Dental implants, wisdom teeth (all four in one visit), gum surgery and grafting, full mouth reconstruction and replacing old work can all be done under IV sedation, and so can several smaller treatments in one visit.
One flat fee.
IV sedation is a flat fee of $1,500 to $1,800, added to the cost of the procedure itself. Where a case falls in that range is set by its complexity, not by how long you are in the chair. Most appointments run one to three hours and the fee is the same either way.
IV sedation is included in the price of every full-arch implant option, and in the price for all four wisdom teeth.
The doctor who treats you administers your sedation.
Dr. Mehdizadeh trained in IV sedation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He administers the sedation and performs the dentistry, and a member of our team watches your vital signs throughout. Dr. Mehdizadeh sees one patient at a time, in a large, quiet office. From your first call to your final appointment, you deal with him, his assistant and our treatment coordinator, and you can text the office.
Tell us what you have been putting off.
Tell us what is going on. Add photos if you have them; if not, we will call and talk it through. Same-day appointments are available.
Or call (310) 770-3335.
Ask about sedation
Reviewed by our treatment coordination team. Call or text (310) 770-3335 if you would rather speak now.
Request received
A treatment coordinator will call you within two hours during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9 to 4).
To talk now, call (310) 770-3335.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IV sedation safe?
Yes, when it is administered after a review of your medical history and with your vital signs monitored throughout, as it is here. Emergency equipment and reversal agents are on site, and Dr. Mehdizadeh administers the sedation himself.
Will I be completely unconscious?
No. With IV sedation you are deeply relaxed but not unconscious as under general anesthesia. You may respond when spoken to but are unlikely to remember the procedure. The depth can be adjusted to your comfort.
Will I feel any pain during the procedure?
No. IV sedation is combined with local anesthesia, so you do not feel pain during treatment. Most patients have no memory of the procedure at all.
How long does recovery take?
Most patients feel normal within a few hours. You need someone to drive you home, and you should rest for the rest of the day. By the next day most patients return to normal activities.
Can I eat before sedation?
No. Nothing to eat or drink for at least eight hours before IV sedation. This is for your safety. You receive detailed instructions at your consultation.
Who is a good candidate for IV sedation?
People with dental anxiety, a strong gag reflex or difficulty getting numb, and people who need extensive treatment. At your consultation, Dr. Mehdizadeh reviews your health history to confirm it is right for you.
What medications are used for IV sedation?
A benzodiazepine for relaxation and amnesia, combined with an opioid for pain control. Both are fast-acting with a short duration. Reversal agents for each are on site.
How much does IV sedation cost?
A flat fee of $1,500 to $1,800, added to the cost of the procedure and set by the complexity of the case, not by time in the chair. It is included in every full-arch implant option and in the price for all four wisdom teeth.
Last Updated: November 2026