Nitrous Oxide Specialist

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is a dental technique that uses medication to improve your dental experience by helping reduce your anxiety while you get treatment.

Types of sedation include:

• Minimal sedation — awake and relaxed enough to endure treatment without anxiety
• Moderate sedation — awake but unaware of what’s happening around you
• Deep sedation — very sleepy but easily aroused
• General anesthesia — unconscious

What is nitrous oxide?

Nitrous oxide is a medication that induces minimal sedation. It’s better known as laughing gas.

The team at Garden Oaks Dental uses nitrous oxide to help ease dental anxiety during treatment. The team might use nitrous oxide for dental cleanings, a simple filling, or even a root canal.

Unlike other forms of sedation, nitrous oxide wears off quickly, and you can drive yourself home after treatment.

Who is a good candidate for sedation dentistry?

The team at Garden Oaks Dental uses sedation dentistry to help those who feel anxious in the dental chair, but that’s not the only reason they might recommend sedation dentistry. You might want to be sedated if you:

• Have a low tolerance for pain or sensitive tooth
• Are too fidgety in the dental chair
• Need a lot of dental work
• Have a sensitive gag reflex
  
  

Sedation dentistry may also be recommended for your child to help ease any fears they may have while at the dental office. Nitrous oxide is safe for children.

What happens after sedation at the dentist office?

While you can drive after having nitrous oxide, you should refrain from driving a car and operating heavy machinery after receiving other forms of sedation, especially general anesthesia. The team at Garden Oaks Dental discusses all your needs before you come in for treatment so you know ahead of time if you need to make special arrangements.

What is local anesthesia?

Local anesthesia is a type of medication the dental specialists at Garden Oaks Dental use to prevent pain in a very specific area in your mouth. You might need local anesthesia for a filling, root canal, or preparation of a tooth for a crown.

Local anesthesia is administered by injection or as a topical medication. These types of medications work by blocking the pain signal to your brain, causing the area to go numb.

It can take a few hours for the local anesthesia to wear off, and the dental specialists at Garden Oaks Dental may recommend you not eat or drink until feeling returns.

If you’re avoiding the dentist because of anxiety, the team at Garden Oaks Dental can help. Call today or book an appointment online.