Patients Who Benefit From Sedation Dentistry
- Fear or anxiety about being at the dentist
- Difficulty sitting still for long periods of time
- Trouble getting (and staying) numb from anesthetics
What Is Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry allows your doctor to provide a variety of dental treatments safely and comfortably for patients who experience anxiety when visiting the dentist.
Benefits of Sedation Dentistry
- No memory of undergoing the procedure
- No sense of time while under sedation
- No sense of smell or sound
- No fear or anxiety during treatment
Patients who have undergone a procedure using sedation dentistry will tell you it is a simple, relaxing way to experience dentistry.
Nervous About Being Unconscious?
There is no need to be nervous about having sedation dentistry at our practice.
We are licensed by the American Dental Association, and you will find that we are both respectful and professional at all times.
Sedation dentistry is closely regulated by law, and there are three sedative states at which your dentist can administer your treatment: mild sedation, moderate sedation, and deep sedation.
Levels of Sedation
Mild Sedation — Anxiolysis
- Lightest form of sedation
- Often used for mild anxiety, longer procedures, or more complex situations
- Usually administered orally
- You remain awake or sleepy, breathing independently
- Provides deep relaxation
- Recovery within a few hours
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is another mild-to-moderate option
Moderate Sedation — Conscious Sedation
- Often involves light IV sedation
- You remain awake but deeply relaxed
- Ideal for moderate anxiety or lengthy/complex procedures
- Requires a responsible adult escort
- Sedative may last several hours and driving is unsafe
Deep Sedation
- Patients drift between consciousness and unconsciousness
- Often no memory of treatment
- Unable to respond to commands consistently
- Requires a parent, spouse, or friend to accompany
- Recovery period may take several hours
How Sedatives Are Administered
Inhalation
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
- Most common for easing mild to moderate anxiety
- Fast recovery for immediate return to normal activities
Oral Sedation
- Easy and needle-free
- Prescription pill taken about one hour before appointment
- Fully relaxed upon arrival
Intramuscular (IM) Sedation
- Sedative injected into upper arm or thigh
- Produces sedation quickly