Your Edmonton Invisalign® Provider
How does dental sedation help?
Are you nervous about going to the dentist? Dental sedation can help patients with this anxiety during procedures.
The dental sedation we use can provide patients with a general sense of calm and well-being, allowing them to relax enough to undergo dental treatment.
There are four main types of sedation used by dentists to soothe their patient's anxiety during their treatment:
IV Sedation
IV sedation does not put the patient to sleep. Instead, it leaves patients in a dreamlike state of relaxation. This sedation is administered intravenously.
IV sedation may not be right for everyone, as the guidelines regarding its administration are somewhat stricter than those of other types of sedation.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, can be used alone or together with an oral sedative. It is an inhaled gas that helps patients feel calm and relaxed during their dental procedures.
Nitrous oxide gas is clear and odourless, and when mixed with oxygen, provides patients with peaceful, almost euphoric sensations. It has no lasting effects, so patients are able to drive home after their appointment if they do not use it with an oral sedative.
Oral Conscious Sedation
While oral conscious sedation doesn't usually make a patient unconscious, it can make them drowsy enough to sleep during the procedure. Many patients do not have any memory of their dental procedure after the effect of the sedation wears off.
General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is used to make a patient unconscious. Anesthesia is usually recommended for patients with limited comprehension, serious behavioural challenges and/or high sensitivity to pain.
Is sedation safe?
When administered by a suitable professional, sedation is considered very safe. Nitrous oxide is even recommended for use in young children (this is determined on a case-by-case basis for children with especially high levels of dental anxiety).
Feeling Anxious? Talk To Us.
At Ellerslie Dental Studio, you can be open and honest about any anxiety you're experiencing. We understand how you feel, so never hesitate to address your feelings so we can discuss your needs and help you determine if dental sedation is right for you.