Sedation Dentistry

Many people may avoid the dentist and put their dental state and overall health at risk due to being frightened of routine dental care. However, sedation dentistry can help patients become comfortable with dentists and dental care, rather than intimidated by them. Sedation dentistry helps relax patients and eliminate fears and anxieties that can commonly arise with dental care. Since the medications are usually administered by mouth, patients will be able to remain fully alert and respond to questions. The greatest benefit of sedation dentistry is that patients have the option of experiencing a comfortable and tolerable dental visit by utilizing the various tools that modern dentistry offers.

Sedation dentistry has been responsible for over two million patients having successful experiences and "...almost 23 million are willing to go to the dentist more frequently if general anesthesia and conscious sedation were more readily available." (Journal of the American Dental Association, Cover story: Assessing the Need for Anesthesia and Sedation in the General Population, vol. 129, Feb. 1998). 

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is a blended gas (oxygen and nitrous oxide) that is administered to the patient through a mask that is placed over the nose to help with relaxation and gag reflexes. The sedative emits a faint, sweet aroma to help the patient achieve a more pleasant experience. Nitrous oxide may also help the patient respond more positively to sights, sounds, and sensations within the dental office and may help time pass more quickly. This form of sedative also helps enhance effective communication between the patient and their dentist, which can help the dental process run more smoothly. Once the mask is removed, the sedative is eliminated and does not produce any lingering effects.

  

 

Oral Conscious Sedative

 

An oral conscious sedative consists of prescribed medications that are administered by mouth to help relax patients and eliminate anxiety and fear. These oral sedatives are generally prescribed to be taken by mouth prior to the treatment, but may also be taken the evening before the dental appointment if the patient has a greater degree of anxiety. Oral conscious sedatives are effective in making patients who have milder degrees of dental anxiety more comfortable.

 

 

Intravenous Sedative

 

An intravenous (IV) sedative administers the medication through the veins. This method allows patients to become relaxed more quickly and helps eliminate anxiety and pain. Another benefit of using an intravenous sedative is that sights, sounds, and smells in the dental office are also eliminated, thus making the patient more comfortable. IV sedation also helps prevent gag reflexes and can help patients become more comfortable if they have difficultly sitting in chairs for extended periods of time. While using this form of sedative, patients become so relaxed that dentists are able to perform the dental treatment much more efficiently and with greater excellence. Desert Shores Dentistry uses state-of-the-art equipment and has a highly trained staff to safely perform this type of sedative.

 

 

General Anesthesia

 

General anesthesia consists of medication for amnesia, analgesia, muscle paralysis, and sedation, which is used to help patients tolerate procedures that might otherwise be unpleasant. General anesthesia is administered by intravenous (IV) drugs and inhaled gases that put the patient in a “sleep” that prevents the brain from responding to pain signals from the surgery. Anesthesia helps patients reduce their discomfort, awareness and recall, and relaxes their muscles for extended periods of time. Desert Shores Dentistry utilizes a hospital or clinic so that a certified physician from the Board of Anesthesiology can assist the procedure.