Oral and Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Patient’s that experience dental anxiety may benefit from the use of Nitrous Oxide Sedation, Oral Sedation with Benzodiazepines or both.

Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Minimal sedation using Nitrous Oxide (also know as laughing gas) sedation is an effective technique for moderating a patient with dental anxiety. This method of sedation is considered the safest form of sedation and is commonly used in  children’s dentistry. Nitrous Oxide sedation is a great method for patients that have minimal anxiety but would like something to help them relax for their dental appointments.

One benefit of Nitrous Oxide sedation is that its effects disappear within a few minutes of discontinuation of sedative gas. This means that patient’s do not require an escort to drive them to and from the appointment and monitor them after the dental appointment.

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is a form of sedation that involves the dentist administering a sedative medication, which is taken orally prior to treatment.

The patient must arrive an hour before scheduled treatment and will be given this medication on an empty stomach. The effects of the medication take approximately an hour to take effect. Following treatment the patient will be dismissed to an escort. The escort is responsible for the patient until sedative effects have expired following dismissal from the office.

Combined Nitrous Oxide and Oral Sedation is a technique where both sedation techniques are combined for patients that may require more sedation effect than with one technique alone.