What Is Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is a treatment we provide to patients to help them feel relaxed while they get dental care. Each option allows you to feel entirely comfortable and calm, which is why it’s also known as relaxation dentistry. Your anxiety and fear of the dentist will slowly melt away to help you have a seamless experience at our dental office.

In our Southlake, TX dental office, we offer different levels of sedation, including:

  • Oral Conscious Sedation
  • Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen
  • IV Sedation
  • OraVerse
  • NuCalm

We have the right solution for your comfort, whatever your needs are.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Oral conscious sedation is sedation dentistry in the form of a pill. Before your dental appointment, we will provide you with a dental sedative such as Ativan or Halcion to place under your tongue (they work faster and better this way). You will take the sedative when you reach our office; then, we’ll monitor you to know when it starts taking effect. Arrange for a friend or family member who is a trusted adult to drive you from your procedure because you can’t drive while taking the medication. During your procedure, you might feel so relaxed that you fall asleep!

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide is a type of sedation dentistry we provide you after you arrive at our office. Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is an easy way to administer sedation on the spot and adjust the effects as we go. For nitrous oxide, we will have you wear a mask over your nose to inhale oxygen and nitrous oxide. The effects help you feel relaxed and wear off just minutes after removing the mask. Patients can drive themselves when using this type of sedation. This form of sedation isn’t as effective on anxiety as oral sedatives, but it provides additional pain relief, and its convenience makes it popular. 

IV Sedation

Intravenous sedation is a deeper form of anesthesia that is precisely controlled by repeatedly giving small doses of short-acting drugs through a vein, similar to a colonoscopy anesthetic. Local anesthetic in the mouth (after you are asleep) blocks signals to the brain and allows this to be lighter and safer than a deep hospital anesthetic. You’ll still enter a deep state of relaxation, deep enough to counter the strongest anxiety. Recovery is faster and easier. Intravenous sedation requires a team of a surgeon, an assistant, and an anesthesiologist/sedation nurse. We recommend IV sedation for patients who experience severe anxiety or have complex procedures. Patients will require a ride home from our office with this option.

Drug-Free Sedation with NuCalm

An entirely drug-free experience, NuCalm is 95% effective at reducing anxiety and helps you reach a meditative state during your procedure. Most patients leave our dental office feeling relaxed, calm and recharged.

OraVerse

Most patients receive some type of local anesthesia during their appointments to numb the procedure area to eliminate pain. Unfortunately, the numbing effects can last for the next few hours, which can lead to drooling or difficulty drinking water. With OraVerse, we can reduce the effects of local anesthesia after your procedure to help you get back to your life as usual even faster. OraVerse is an injection we administer after your procedure. Since you’re numbed up, you won’t even feel it!

Who’s a Good Candidate?

If you ever put off a dental appointment because you have a fear of the dentist or just feel uncomfortable, you’re likely a good candidate for sedation dentistry. Most patients are good candidates, especially because we offer a drug-free option. To find out if you qualify, please contact our dental office. We will ask you about your medical history and recommend the best option for your needs.

Some of the problems sedation dentistry can help with include:

  • Dental anxiety
  • Strong gag reflex
  • Bothered by sounds or smells in the dental office Dental work feels especially painful for you
  • Bad past experiences at the dentist
  • Comfortable sitting still for long periods
  • Difficulty getting numb
  • Want multiple procedures completed in one sitting

If any of the issues listed above apply to you, please contact our dental office to schedule a consultation with our sedation dentists in Southlake, TX to find out if sedation dentistry is right for you.

mature adult woman smiling with teeth

Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

There are numerous benefits. For one, it can help you finally get the dental treatments you need without experiencing any anxiety in the process. After having a few dental appointments, your dental anxiety might go away to the point where you don’t need sedation because you’ve had so many good recent dental experiences.

Once you experience more positive dental experiences, you won’t feel like pushing off preventive dentistry treatments anymore. The best way to avoid long and uncomfortable treatments down the line is with preventive dentistry.

Sedation dentistry can also help you have a pain-free dental experience. Whether you suffer from a strong gag reflex or dental work feels incredibly painful to you, this can completely transform your experience.

Some patients might struggle to sit still for long periods, either due to a physical or mental disability. Sedation dentistry can help you stay relaxed so that you don’t fidget around during your procedure. As a result, most patients experience a faster appointment. You can even combine multiple treatments into one appointment to help save you time and anxiety in the future.

Enjoy the Benefits of Sedation Dentistry

There are really no downsides to getting sedation dentistry. Our Southlake, TX sedation dentists can find the right option for you to make your experience with us as comfortable as possible. Please call (817) 587-4566 to learn more about our sedation dentistry options.