Changing How You Think About Dental Visits with Sedation Dentistry

Dental anxiety is real and affects patients of all ages, children and adults alike. So, if you or your loved one experience dental anxiety, don’t feel embarrassed to talk to your dentist. Our team is happy to discuss your fears and determine the best sedation option for you.

• Nitrous oxide: It’s the mildest form of sedation and is excellent for patients of all ages. Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is administered through a small mask worn over the nose. After a few breaths, the sedation effects kick in within minutes, and you should feel calmer and more relaxed. Patients remain awake during the treatment and can communicate with the dentist. One of the biggest attractions of laughing gas is that the effects wear off immediately after the mask is withdrawn. So you can go on about your everyday activities without lingering drowsiness.
• Oral conscious sedation: The dentist prescribes a simple anti-anxiety pill to provide a deeper level of sedation than nitrous oxide. The medication is taken about an hour before your appointment, giving it enough time to work its magic. By the time you’re in the chair, you’re fully sedated, ready to breeze through your treatment without a worry in the world. Pill-based sedation provides deep relaxation, although you remain cognizant enough to respond to cues from our team. Although you’ll be awake, you’ll remember little about your treatment afterward. Since the sedation effects linger, you need someone to escort you home and allow you to rest until the sedation wears off.
• IV sedation: It’s the most powerful sedation. It’s administered directly into the bloodstream through an IV line in the hand. The effects kick in within minutes, and the sedation is continually adjusted to your comfort levels.