Sedation Dentistry

The thought of sitting in a dental chair and waiting for a procedure to begin can be nerve-wracking for many people. You are not alone if you think this way as many people feel anxious about visiting the dentist and that’s normal, but there are ways to relax and be at ease while at the dentist office. As we recognize that patients may feel uncertain or even have a phobia, we take extra care of their needs so that they don’t end up with any dental care at all. That’s why we provide a comprehensive choice of sedation dentistry procedures, which can help you to be calm, and make your next dental procedure as comfortable, stress-free, and pain-free as possible.

At Perfect Smiles For Less, we provide a variety of sedation dentistry choices—ranging from heavy to mild sedation—depending on the type of procedure and the level of stress the patient is experiencing about their imminent treatment. Given below are the different types of sedation dentistry available with us:

Local Anesthetic

In almost every surgical procedure, a local anesthetic is used as a numbing medication and is injected directly into the affected site. It numbs the area on which your dentist is working, and helps relieve any pain.

Minimal Sedation

When minimal sedation is used, patients feel awake but more relaxed.

Moderate Sedation

Patients under moderate or mild sedation are relaxed but awake. When a patient is administered moderate sedation, patients feel or remember much of what happened during their procedure, and may have a problem in speaking while being sedated.

Deep Sedation

During deep sedation, patients may be conscious but not remember or feel any part of their procedure.

General Anesthesia

When under general anesthesia, patients are wholly unconscious during the whole of their procedure.

During all the types of sedation dentistry, once you try to be relaxed and you will feel less or no pain during the procedure—thereby further putting your body and mind at ease.

The Administration Of Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry can be executed in different ways including intravenously, orally, or through inhalation.

Inhaled Nitrous Oxide

More commonly known as ‘laughing gas’ Nitrous oxide is a relaxing gas that is inhaled along with oxygen through a mask put over one’s mouth and nose before a dental procedure begins. In this inhaled minimal sedation, patients can recover fast enough post their procedure, and can even drive themselves home after their dental visit.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation can range from moderate to mild, depending on the period of the prescribed dose. A typical oral sedation pill is Halcion, which is given to the patient one hour before the procedure. After consuming the pill, patients feel more relaxed, drowsy, and more often than not fall asleep during their procedure.

IV Sedation

A moderate sedative, an intravenous sedation is injected directly into the vein, due to which the drug is administered more quickly, and its effects are felt almost immediately. One of the best benefits of IV sedation, when compared to other methods of sedation dentistry, is that the dentist can control the level of sedation during the entire procedure.

Sedation dentistry is most suitable for the patient having sensitive teeth or a gag reflex, has nervous habits or is anxious, has a low pain threshold, or needs extensive dental work on an emergency basis. The use of nitrous oxide is safe for children who may feel stressful before a dental visit or don’t cooperate during their stay. Some oral sedation in small doses is also considered safe for larger or older children.

If you feel you are avoiding a dental visit due to fear, especially if you need one, get in touch with us for a no-obligation consultation to get to know more about the sedation dentistry procedures suitable for you.