Fear of dental treatment often prevents individuals from seeking needed dental work, but sedation dentistry provides an easy and comfortable solution to getting back on track with oral health without fear.
Mild sedation can be taken orally an hour before an appointment and will help you feel relaxed and tired throughout the procedure. With this form of sedation, someone must accompany you for your work.
Oral Sedation
Many people suffer from dental anxiety or phobia, which prevents them from seeking dental treatment even when necessary for toothaches or more serious oral health concerns. Fearful or anxious patients tend to skip regular dental check-ups that could prevent emergencies or pain and reduce costs and potential complications in the future. Dental sedation makes it easier for patients to receive necessary dental work without experiencing discomfort or anxiety during visits to the dentist.
Capital Smiles offers multiple forms of dental sedation to ensure a more relaxed and pleasant appointment experience. Dr. Erin Page has been certified by both the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation and New York State to administer oral sedatives for anxious patients; nitrous oxide (laughing gas) provides an extra calming sensation; and IV sedation may be utilized when more complex cases or those suffering severe dental anxiety require IV analgesia.
Oral sedation requires taking a pill approximately an hour before beginning your procedure, which will make you tired but still allow you to respond to questions from the dentist and respond when asked by him or her. Some patients can fall asleep during their procedure while most remain alert throughout; unlike nitrous oxide, oral sedation does not wear off quickly, so if you opt for this form of sedation, we suggest having someone drive you home after your appointment.
IV Sedation allows us to administer the medication directly into a vein in your arm to induce deep sedation, making this a practical option for people who experience extreme anxiety or require lengthy procedures such as root canal therapy, extractions, or dental implants.
General anesthesia is used for those who experience extreme dental anxiety or phobia, requiring the services of an anesthesiologist for optimal comfort during this form of sedation. Our oral surgeons are licensed in this form of sedation and can perform most complex procedures – like wisdom teeth removal and dental implant placement – with just one visit under general anesthesia. While under this type of sedation, an anesthesiologist will monitor vital signs to ensure breathing normally while unconscious.
IV Sedation
Many people associate visiting the dentist with anxiety and fear. This fear could stem from past negative experiences, an unfavorable opinion about pain management, or unknown unknowns – leading them to put off appointments altogether and not receive necessary dental care.
Sedation dentistry can provide the solution you need to overcome your fears and receive the care you require. Sedation uses medications to calm you, placing you into a relaxed state of consciousness. Various types of sedation are used, each leading to different levels of consciousness; standard methods include inhalation, oral, and intravenous (IV).
Oral sedation works by giving patients oral medication before an appointment in pill form, making them feel relaxed but still allowing them to communicate with the physician and be conscious. It is ideal for people suffering from severe anxiety or who need long-term treatments such as root canals or LANAP procedures.
Nitrous oxide dentistry, also called laughing gas, provides another safe and effective form of light sedation that works by placing a mask over your nose and inhaling a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen through an inhaler. Although you will experience temporary drowsiness after this type of sedation has worn off quickly, you should typically be able to drive home after your appointment without needing someone to accompany you.
For patients requiring more profound levels of sedation, their doctor may administer intravenous sedation. With IV sedation, you will be administered medication directly into your vein, and usually, Valium or Xanax are used, which can reduce anxiety while producing partial or complete amnesia – ideal for situations requiring multiple procedures in one appointment.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, commonly called laughing gas, is a safe, breathable dental sedation method administered through a mask over your nose and works instantly to relax and calm you. It’s ideal for patients with mild-moderate anxiety who require assistance getting through their appointments and can even be combined with local anesthesia to numb your mouth during treatment and ensure maximum comfort during treatments.
Nitrous oxide treatments wear off quickly, allowing for a rapid return to regular activities after each session. Furthermore, they’re safe for pregnant women in their first trimester, making them an attractive choice among our patients, and we often use them with children to help ease them during appointments with Dr. Solomon.
If mild to moderate anxiety keeps you from receiving the dental care you require, Brooklyn Heights Dental’s sedation options may be just what’s necessary to help ease those fears and restore your smile. Reach out today and discover more of what we have available here in Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, and nearby neighborhoods of New York City!
Sedation dentistry allows you to relax during procedures to reduce pain and anxiety, leaving you calm and confident at our office. Our dentists have years of experience administering sedation to enable our patients to receive the dental work they require without fear or discomfort; we offer oral and intravenous (IV) sedation to meet our patient’s specific needs.
Oral sedation involves taking a pill 30-60 minutes before your appointment and feeling sleepy as the drug takes effect. Your physician will closely monitor your vital signs during the procedure and adjust dosage as necessary; oral sedation is best used for short courses that do not cause amnesia.
Not everyone is eligible for oral or IV sedation due to preexisting health conditions that would interfere with medication or anesthesia administered, and pregnant or breastfeeding women cannot undergo sedation dentistry procedures.
General Anesthesia
Sedation dentistry is an efficient and safe solution to help alleviate dental anxiety for patients of all ages, particularly children and those needing complex dental work such as root canals or full mouth reconstruction. While not all dentists are qualified to administer sedation, finding one who does can make all the difference for a successful experience. Trained sedation dentists will consider multiple factors before prescribing an ideal type of sedation to their patients.
Oral Sedation
With oral sedation, a dentist will prescribe a pill to calm you before your appointment begins. While awake but relaxed, this form of sedation often serves those who experience anxiety at dental procedures or those suffering from conditions such as ADHD, arthritis, or Parkinson’s disease.
Nitrous Oxide
Laughing gas is a highly relaxing form of sedation administered via a nasal or oral mask, providing pain relief while remaining completely safe and comfortable for most patients. Although many find the experience enjoyable, those with severe dental anxiety may need something more substantial to relax correctly.
Moderate Sedation
With moderate sedation, a dentist will give their patient an injection of medication designed to relax them and an anesthetic to block pain. Slurred speech and decreased awareness will likely occur; however, they should still respond to verbal commands and breathe generally on their own. This level of sedation is frequently used with children who are too anxious or distressed to cooperate or for adults who struggle to maintain an open-mouth position during procedures.
Deep Sedation
IV drip sedation provides the deepest level of sedation, and many patients can fall asleep during this procedure. A dentist will keep close tabs on vital signs during and after this sedation session; patients are strongly encouraged to have someone drive them home afterward as they may feel disoriented after going under.
