Oral Conscious Sedation

Nearly 30% of Americans are afraid of the dentist. They avoid dental care, even when they are in pain or discomfort. But that's no longer necessary! Technological advances in dentistry now offer safe, effective, and comfortable treatments to anxious, fearful or just plain busy patients.

Dental Oral Sedation provides many advantages: primarily, a comfortable experience; ability to perform more dentistry in a single visit; and little to no post-operative discomfort, regardless of the procedure.

Anesthesia Options

Many patients are nervous about dental visits and put off treatment for years. Procrastination, however, can be the worst thing for gums and teeth. Various sedation and relaxation techniques can put the most phobic patient at ease.

Is it safe? Will it work for me?

These are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Sedation Dentistry. To help you and your loved ones decide if this is right for you, we’re going to answer these questions for you before you even have to ask.

There is a choice of sedation medications that can be used. You and your doctor will review many factors like your individual medical history to choose which one is right for you. Most of our patients are administered Triazolam. This medication has been used for many, many years and has now found a home in dentistry. In 1996, it was prescribed over 26 million times. Other medications with similar safety backgrounds may also be used for your treatment. The historical safety of these medications gives us great confidence in using them. There is even a medication available to reverse the effects!

To ensure your safety, while you are medicated your vital signs are continuously monitored. Baseline readings are taken at your first visit so we know what is normal for you.

The most common side effects of this sedation aid are dry mouth and hiccups. The hiccups usually last only a few moments while you are sedated and the dry mouth wears off with medication.

You are free of anxiety; you loose sense of time, and have little to no memory of the procedure. This is an excellent modality for an apprehensive patient for any dental procedure or a patient undergoing a surgical procedure, such as implant surgery. You can not drive after this procedure.

Nitrous Oxide Anesthesia

A combination of nitrous oxide and oxygen is breathed through a nasal mask to give a sensation of relaxation and euphoria. Patients may also know this as “laughing gas.” The gas is odorless. It takes about three minutes to achieve a comfortable state. The patient is totally awake during this procedure and can direct the doctor if they feel any discomfort. Nitrous oxide oxygen can be used for children, and can be a positive management for their treatment.

Local Anesthesia

Some patients are so stoic they don’t even require a local anesthetic or a numbing of the gums. However, most patients do. The slightest discomfort can be easily eliminated. A topical anesthetic is first applied to numb the tissue before an injection is given. Two types of injections are available. An infiltration injection numbs or eliminates any discomfort in a localized area. A block injection will numb an entire region as is often done with the lower jaw. The numbness will last from less than an hour to several hours, but will completely wear off.