Dallas Center for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Sedation Options
Here at Dallas Oral Surgery Associates, we perform all kinds of dental procedures. Many of these procedures have to be performed under sedation.
We have a variety of techniques that we use to calm our patients and make them feel comfortable. Sedation is also coupled with numbing agents to ensure the patient does not writhe in pain during procedures that involve incisions and drilling.
Many people are aware of laughing gas, which is often administered during simple procedures such as root canal. However, sedation in dentistry is more complex than just laughing gas. There are a lot more options, and the appropriate one depends on the complexity of the procedure.
Learn More About Our Sedation Options
Laughing Gas
Laughing gas, otherwise called Nitrous Oxide, has a calming and soothing effect on patients. The gas causes the patient to become relaxed but remain conscious. It is used on simple dental procedures to alleviate fear. For instance, if you are supposed to take a numbing shot on the gums and you are fearful, laughing gas will help you calm down for the shot.
The gas is administered through the nose using breathing apparatus. Our dentist can control the amount of gas you are breathing, depending on how sedated he/she wants you to be. The gas acts quite quickly. You’ll start feeling relaxed within 30 seconds of breathing it in. It wears off just as fast when you stop breathing in the gas.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation, as the name suggests, involves taking a sedative drug through your mouth before the procedure. Oral sedation, just like laughing gas, will have you fully conscious but significantly relaxed as to alleviate any fears or anxiety. Depending on what procedure you are to undergo, our dentists will give you instructions on how to swallow the sedative pill. In some instances, you’ll be required to swallow a pill the night before the procedure and then swallow another one an hour into the procedure.
Under oral sedation, patients will often not recall much about the procedure after it’s done. If you have any underlying health conditions, our dentists will put you under heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing monitors. Perfectly healthy people do not require such monitoring. You’ll still feel sleepy after the procedure, but the effects of the sedative will wear off within a couple of hours.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is the strong form of sedation. It uses a combination of inhaled gasses along with intravenous, or IV, medication to render you completely unconscious. Under general anesthesia, you are unable to respond, and you do not feel any pain while we perform your necessary procedures.
Local Anesthesia
We can numb the area with a simple local anesthetic prior to minor treatments including the removal of disease or decay. A local anesthetic is the most commonly used pain relief option in dentistry. It is fast, easy, and eliminates discomfort at the site. At Dallas Oral Surgery Associates, we want our patients to receive the treatment they need for better oral health, while still remaining comfortable. We offer local anesthetic for minor needs, or can discuss various conscious sedation options to relax nerves as needed.
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