Oral surgery enables our team to treat complex issues that impact the health, function, and beauty of your smile. For example, we can extract wisdom teeth, conduct bone grafting, or place dental implants. But we also want to make sure these treatments are comfortable. In today’s blog, your Newport Beach, CA, dentist talks about the benefits of dental sedation.
When You Benefit from Dental Sedation
Dental sedation provides calming for our patients, even those with dental anxiety. We understand that your dental fears are real, and our team members will never minimize them. But we also don’t want your phobia of the dentist to stand between you and a bright and healthy smile. With sedation dentistry, we can help those with severe anxiety receive the care they need while remaining comfortable and relaxed.
This can also be beneficial for those with special needs, or for patients undergoing more extensive treatments. For example, the placement of one or more dental implants to treat tooth loss, or possibly the extraction of a tooth to avoid infection or the impaction of erupting wisdom teeth. We can also use this to address weakened jawbones, with bone grafting to strengthen the jaw and make it ready to support one or more dental implants. We can also employ this for jaw surgery or to address a serious dental emergency.
To see which option is right for you, our team will look carefully at your medical history, age, weight, and anxiety levels. We offer three different options, and we want to choose the best one for you. You don’t have to be uncomfortable during your visit!
Nitrous Oxide
One of the more common options is nitrous oxide. Sometimes referred to as laughing gas, this is beneficial for kids and adults alike. We administer this through a mask you wear over your nose. You inhale a special gas and enter a state of calm and euphoria. You’re conscious and able to respond to the dentist, but often have little to no memory of the procedure at all. The effects can be adjusted during your procedure, and end once the procedure does too. Which means you can drive yourself home or even return to work or school.
Oral Conscious
If you need a deeper state of calm, we may recommend oral conscious sedation. As with nitrous oxide, you remain conscious and able to respond to the dentist, but enter a deep state of relaxation. We will administer this via pill or liquid before the procedure. We may recommend you fast for the six to eight hours prior to treatment, and be sure you arrive wearing loose and comfortable clothing. The effects don’t wear off right away, so you may be a bit groggy. Have a friend or a family member on hand to bring you home afterward. You won’t return to work or school. Make sure your ride can also help you pick up necessary prescriptions, which may be necessary as part of the healing process.
IV
IV sedation is the deepest form of calming available, and one that is administered intravenously. A trained anesthesiologist will be on hand to monitor you the entire time, and you will again have no memory of the procedure. This is especially helpful for those with major phobias or special needs, and can aid in more complex oral surgeries too. The effects are immediate and long-lasting, so again you need to have a friend or family member on hand to take you home afterward. Wear loose and comfortable clothing, and again, we may have you avoid food and drink in the six to eight hours before the procedure. You won’t be unconscious as you would with general anesthesia.
If you have any questions about how we offer calming solutions for our patients, or about undergoing treatment for more advanced concerns, like infections, tooth loss, and weakened jawbones, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you enjoy good oral health and a comfortable experience, so you don’t dread your next visit with our team.
Schedule a Visit to Discuss Treatment Today
Our team wants to make sure your treatment is a comfortable one. If you have questions about the calming treatments we provide for our patients, then please contact your Newport Beach, CA dentist’s office at (949) 630-0143. We want to make sure your dental fears don’t prevent you from obtaining the stunning and healthy smile you deserve, so give us a call to talk about your situation and your concerns, so we can start you on a path to a beautiful and healthy smile.
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