Sedation Dentist – Plainview, NY

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

For those with mild levels of anxiety, nitrous oxide sedation is likely the best option to manage and reduce nervousness during dental appointments. To receive the gas-based sedative, patients wear a small nasal mask that is worn throughout treatment. As the gas is gently inhaled, patients experience a relaxing, yet euphoric sensation that makes anxiety melt away! After treatment is complete, the sedative can be removed as quickly as it appeared, ensuring patients can easily continue their day without interruption.

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Who Is a Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide?

Nitrous oxide sedation has many different applications and is most often used to assist patients who:

• Suffer from mild to moderate dental-related anxiety
• Don’t like the sights, smells, or sounds of the dental office
• Have a strong gag reflex or dental sensitivity
• Don’t respond well to typical anesthetics
• Are afraid of needles (such as anesthetic injections)
• Have trouble remaining seated for longer periods of time

It’s worth noting that patients who are pregnant, suffer from sinus congestion or respiratory disease, or are taking certain medications might not be suitable candidates for nitrous oxide. If you have concerns about an upcoming dental appointment and your eligibility for nitrous oxide, please let us know!

How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?

At the beginning of the appointment, a small mask will be placed on your nose that’s used to administer the gas. The gas itself is colorless and odorless and within a few minutes, you’ll begin to feel its calming effects—and though it’s called laughing gas, you won’t begin cackling maniacally! The gas is combined with oxygen and the ratio can be adjusted as needed to ensure that you’re able to fully relax during the appointment. Once you’re calm and comfortable, we can begin your treatment as planned!

Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide

When the appointment is over and we remove your mask, you’ll begin feeling normal within a few minutes without any lingering effects. This means that you’ll be able to immediately resume your day as planned, and you’ll even be able to drive yourself home! However, it’s worth noting that while nitrous oxide sedation fades away quickly, if you’ve received an anesthetic for any reason, those effects may last for a few hours after the appointment.

We’re happy to explain the details of receiving nitrous oxide sedation with you before you commit to the treatment, so feel free to give us a call for additional information.

Oral Conscious Sedation

If you have moderate levels of anxiety that nitrous oxide cannot properly address, oral conscious sedation can provide a more powerful solution for your dental phobia or nervousness. This sedative is taken orally prior to your dental appointment, which means you will need to have a friend or family member drive you to and from the office. Not only will you feel incredibly relaxed during your entire appointment, but you will likely forget most of the visit as well.

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What Is Oral Conscious Sedation?

With oral conscious sedation, all you have to do is take a pill shortly before your appointment or when you arrive in our office. The specific medications used can vary, but a few that are commonly used include Valium, Ativan, and Halcion.

Many patients opt for oral conscious sedation because it does not involve the use of any needles. Unlike nitrous oxide, it also does not require a face mask, making it ideal for patients who find it difficult to tolerate having something on their nose.

How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work?

The effects of the sedative should kick in within a few minutes of when you take the pill, and you may remain under its influence for several hours after your appointment. Therefore, you should have a trusted friend or family member available to drive you home.

While you are sedated, you can expect to feel totally relaxed and calm. You might drift off to sleep, but you will not actually be unconscious. Following your appointment, you are unlikely to remember anything that happened during your procedure.

Are You a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?

Contact us so you can schedule an appointment to talk to your sedation dentist about which sedation option is right for you. Generally speaking, oral conscious sedation is suitable for patients who:

• Struggle with moderate anxiety or fear surrounding their dental appointments
• Have a sensitive gag reflex
• Must undergo multiple treatments at once
• Have difficulty keeping their mouth open or sitting in the treatment chair for an extended length of time
• Are not easily numbed by local anesthesia
• Have had unpleasant or traumatic dental care experiences in the past

 

IV Sedation

Many dental patients only receive a mild sedative for treatment. Their fear isn’t too intense, or perhaps their procedure is short. Those with severe anxiety or extensive care needs, though, may require a potent kind. In that case, IV sedation is an ideal solution. By using the most powerful sedative we offer, this method promotes deep relaxation and calms even the most frayed nerves. To learn more about whether it’s right for you, just keep reading or call our office.

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What is IV Sedation?

IV sedation is the deepest form of sedation dentistry available in dental settings. It administers a sedative intravenously or directly into the bloodstream, so effects “kick in” quickly.

Compared to nitrous oxide or oral tablets, the IV method promotes a much deeper state of relaxation. (An effect due to its reliance on Midazolam and Diazepam.) However, it usually leaves patients conscious rather than asleep. The resulting relaxed-yet-forgetful state has thus earned it the nickname “twilight sedation.”

While strong, IV sedation is perfectly safe. When you’re under it, dental team members will monitor your vitals to ensure you remain fine. Plus, it won’t leave any harmful side effects afterward. That said, you’ll likely feel groggy for a day, so have a friend or family member pick you up from the appointment.

Who is a Good Candidate for IV Sedation?

Given its results, IV sedation is usually suggested for patients with severe phobias or a prolonged need for care. Still, there are other qualifying factors to consider.

One such factor, for example, is patient sensitivity. Someone with an overactive gag reflex could truly benefit from the IV approach. It would relax the throat muscles so the dentist can proceed with work.

Similarly, those not easily numbed would also find IV sedation helpful. An IV sedative could do the trick if a patient wants pain relief but isn’t affected by standard anesthetics.

Of course, a dental consultation is the only way to confirm candidacy fully. This visit would give our team a chance to review your medical history. That way, they can make sure you don’t have any allergies to the medications.

The Benefits of IV Sedation

IV sedation has a great many unique benefits. Among them, the most common ones are:

• Deep Relaxation – Because of the sedatives used, IV sedation produces intense feelings of calm and relaxation. In fact, these sensations are so fierce that they help prevent traumatizing dental memories from forming.

• Fast Action –  IV sedation takes effect quickly since it’s administered directly into the bloodstream.
• Controlled Flow – Unlike oral conscious sedation, the IV approach allows the dental team to manage the medication flow. As such, it can be changed or altered throughout treatment.
• Improved Oral Health – Due to treating overwhelming fear or anxiety, IV sedation can improve the oral health of people who often avoid getting dental treatments.