At Children’s Dentistry, patient safety and comfort are always our top priority. We know that many people have fears and phobias that have discouraged them from seeking care, however neglecting your oral heal is by no means a solution to overcome this problem. That is why our team of well-trained specialists offer multiple options to match your specific needs. Below you will find a list of our options. If you’re interested in learning more about our sedation options for your surgical procedure, please let us know.
Laughing gas or nitrous oxide is an inhalation agent that can be used on patients to help decrease their level of anxiety during a procedure. Most patients feel a little “groovy” and like the name implies, many patients will laugh. It’s effects are similar to a switch, when the gas is on you feel it, when it is off, you don’t. The great thing about laughing gas is that you can drive home minutes after your appointment.
Oral sedation, like the name implies, is administered via a pill that is swallowed prior to the appointment time as directed by your physician. This provides minimal to moderate sedation where the patient will remain conscious, but their level of apprehension and anxiety will be significantly decreased. Your experience should be relaxing and your memories of the appointment will be foggy after the effects of the medication have worn off. Laughing gas can often be used in conjunction with this treatment. In patients who choose to use oral sedation, an escort over the age of 18 will be needed to drive you both to and from your appointment.
IV (IntraVenous) Sedation/Deep Sedation is administered via an IV that is usually started in your hand or arm. This technique allows your doctor to increase or decrease the amount of medication to keep you as comfortable as possible. During this type of treatment, the patient is in a somewhat dream-like state but is able to communicate with and respond to our team. Afterward, it is unlikely that you will have any memories of the procedure itself. For IV sedation you must have an escort over the age of 18 to drive you both to and from your appointment. We also recommend that this person stays with you for the remainder of the day to help you with routine tasks and care for you.
General Anesthesia is typically recommended for more in-depth procedures, and for those patients that are especially fearful. After the administration of the medication, the patient will be unconscious and will have no memory of the procedure. This allows the surgeon to perform the procedure as quickly and as safely as possible without interruption. In some cases, (children or special needs patients) it may be most safe to perform the procedure in a hospital setting with the assistance of an anesthesiologist. Again for General Anesthesia, you must have an escort over the age of 18 to drive you both to and from your appointment. This person must also stay with you for the remainder of the day to help you with routine tasks and care for you.
Regardless of the level of sedation, you can rest assured that you will be continuously monitored throughout the procedure with state of the art monitoring devices and techniques. Our safety is always our top priority.