Sedation Dentistry
Overcome Dental Anxiety with our Sedation Options
Sedation Dentistry In Lower Plenty
If you’ve been putting off your dental appointment because of fear and anxiety, our sedation dentistry services can help make them more comfortable. Whether you have had a traumatic dental experience in the past or the sound of dental drills and tools makes you want to run and hide, conscious sedation can make you feel drowsy and relaxed.
Sedation is the use of a drug which relaxes the central nervous system enabling treatment to be carried out by the dentist while still allowing you to communicate. Before sedation can be offered, we will take a your medical history and may liaise with appropriate medical practitioners if necessary. We offer two types of oral sedation:
Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide)
Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a colourless and odourless gas used during dental procedures for sedation and pain relief. It is mixed with oxygen and administered through a mask that fits over the nose. Laughing gas is a mild sedative that helps you relax during dental procedures, alleviating fears and dulling pain. After administration, You may feel a tingling sensation, especially in the arms and legs, followed by a feeling of well-being, euphoria or floating. The effects of laughing gas wear off quickly once the administration is stopped, allowing you to resume normal activities without lingering sedative effects. Some of the benefits of laughing gas include:
- Laughing gas is especially beneficial for children as it takes effect very quickly.
- The sedation levels can be altered, allowing us to increase or decrease the depth of sedation. Other sedation techniques, such as IV sedation, are easy to deepen but difficult to lower the sedation levels. With laughing gas, the effects are almost instant.
- Other sedation options have a fixed duration of action, whereas gas can be given for the exact time it’s needed for.
- There’s no hangover effect, and the gas is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped. You can safely drive home and don’t need an escort.
- No injection is required. In cases of very severe needle phobia, getting laughing gas first can help you feel relaxed enough to allow a local anaesthetic injection.
- Inhalation sedation is very safe. It has very few side effects, and the drugs used have no ill effects on the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain.
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation involves the administration of medication in the form of a pill and can range from mild relaxation to moderate sedation, depending on the dosage and specific medication used. This medication may need to be taken the evening before, the morning of, and an hour before your dental appointment.
It helps create a calm and stress-free experience for patients undergoing various dental procedures. This technique can also be used in conjunction with nitrous oxide or laughing gas for deeper sedation. It is best to have someone bring you in for this appointment as you will feel quite drowsy and not be able to drive. Do not drive vehicles or operate machinery for at least 12 hours after oral sedation. Instructions will be given to you and your escort after the sedation and dental treatment is completed.
