Sedation Dentistry

We offer two kinds of sedation dentistry – oral sedative or inhaling nitrous oxide.

Sedation can be administered in the form of an oral sedative or by inhaling nitrous oxide. Sedation can be mild, moderate, or deep – the dentist will decide with you which option is best based on your level of anxiety and the scope of work that needs to be done. Once the sedative is administered, you’ll typically feel extremely relaxed or even drift off to sleep. What a refreshing change!

Do you have anxiety when you even hear the word “dentist?” What about a hypersensitive gag reflex that doesn’t respond well to local anesthetics? If so, these issues make you a prime candidate. Other individuals who can benefit greatly are children with dental stress and patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive impairments that impede the ability to understand what’s happening during visits.

Sedation dentistry has been extensively studied, so the safety of the practice is well-documented. Most patients will experience retrograde amnesia, which make the details of the dental visit unclear. There may be a decrease in soreness from the dental work that was performed while under sedation. Dry mouth is very common afterwards, and some patients experience hiccups after the visit is over.

Since you’ll be under sedation during the visit, you may still be groggy after it’s over. For this reason, it’s important to arrange a ride from the dentist’s office and plan to spend the rest of the day at home. You may also be instructed to avoid eating or drinking for a certain number of hours prior to the visit. It’s important to tell the dentist about any medications and herbal supplements you are taking, as these may alter the sedative’s effectiveness. The team at Eagle Harbor Dental is more than happy to discuss whether oral sedation or nitrous oxide is right for you. Schedule a consultation today.

By using our two different methods, we’re able to gauge how deep of sedation you’d like or need. This means that we can personalize it to match exactly how much you need.

Sedation dentistry often causes patients to feel a bit unclear about what happened during their visit. This can help those with severe anxiety for their next visit as the last one doesn’t seem bad based on their recollection.