Sedation Dentistry

Imagine undergoing complex dental treatment like a root canal, extraction, or oral surgery. When your treatment is complete, you have no recollection of the time it took, the pain, the noise, or the discomfort you were expecting. We are pleased to offer our patients the option of comfortable, safe, and effective sedation dentistry. Patients who benefit from sedation dentistry have:

• A fear or anxiety of being at the dentist
• A hard time sitting still for long periods of time
• A hard time getting (and staying) numb from anesthetics

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry allows your doctor to provide a variety of dental treatments safely and comfortably for patients who experience anxiety when visiting the emergency dentist. There are several benefits to sedation dentistry, including:

• No memory of undergoing the procedure
• No sense of time while under sedation
• No sense of smell or sound
• No fear or anxiety during treatment

Patients who have undergone a procedure using sedation dentistry will tell you it is a simple, relaxing way to experience dentistry.

• Mild Sedation —  Used to help patients with mild anxiety relax better during longer dental procedures or more complex situations. Mild sedation may be administered through use of nitrous oxide/oxygen (laughing gas). You remain awake, but relaxed and sleepy throughout the entire procedure.  Patients are allowed to drive their cars after having nitrous oxide/oxygen (laughing gas).
• Moderate Sedation — Used for patients with moderate to high levels of dental anxiety and for patients who need long or more complex procedures accomplished. Moderate conscious sedation may be administered by swallowing a pill or through use of an intravenous catheter (IV).  If a patient chooses to not have memory of the dental appointment, IV sedation is needed. To have moderate sedation by pill or IV, a family member or friend must drive the patient to and from the appointment and stay with the patient for four hours.