Anxiety-Free Dentistry
People of all ages can experience dental anxiety, which is why we strive to make your dental visits as stress-free as possible. Please share your feelings and concerns with us so we can help you receive the treatment you need at a pace that makes you feel comfortable.
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Nitrous Oxide
- Nitrous oxide is one of the safest anti-anxiety agents used in dentistry and has very few side effects and risks.
- Nitrous oxide is non-addictive, and you will remain fully conscious throughout treatment.
- Administration is comfortable and painless, involving no more than a mask over the nose. This makes it an excellent option for children with dental anxieties or individuals with mental or physical disabilities. However, because of the mask, nitrous oxide is not recommended for individuals who are claustrophobic.
- Feelings of calm and relaxation are felt almost immediately, and breathing pure oxygen for several minutes after treatment completely reverses the effects.
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a colorless blend of oxygen and nitrous oxide gases with a pleasant smell and taste. Inhaling nitrous oxide creates a sense of well-being and relaxation, which can help individuals who experience anxiety or fear about dental treatment feel more at ease. Nitrous oxide increases your pain threshold and, when necessary, makes the administration of anesthetic injections more comfortable. It is also helpful for patients who have a strong gag reflex that interferes with dental treatment.
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Oral Conscious Sedation
- With oral conscious sedation, you can stay awake while still feeling significantly calm and relaxed.
- The effects of the prescription sedatives are usually mild. For safety reasons, it is necessary to have someone escort you to the appointment and back home after the visit.
For patients with moderate to severe dental anxiety, we offer oral conscious sedation. This involves taking a carefully-prescribed sedative shortly before your visit. By the time you arrive at our office, you will feel significantly relaxed. If necessary, we may also administer nitrous oxide before your treatment begins.
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IV Conscious Sedation
- Most patients report having little or no memory of treatment while under IV sedation.
- We can complete almost any treatment you need with IV sedation, from crowns and fillings to deep cleanings, extractions and wisdom teeth removal.
- Recovery usually takes about 15-20 minutes, but you will still feel very drowsy. For this reason, we ask that you arrange for someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
- IV sedation isn’t just for people with severe anxiety. It can also make dental visits easier for people who have a strong gag reflex, need multiple, complex procedures or cannot get sufficiently numb with nitrous oxide alone.
Intravenous conscious sedation provides a deep state of relaxation—deeper than most other forms of sedation dentistry—without requiring you to be completely asleep. Though you will feel significantly calm and relaxed, you will still be awake, aware of your surroundings and able to communicate with our team.
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Isolite® System: More Comfort, Less Time!
Our patients are enjoying more comfort and better care than ever with the Isolite® system. Isolite has a place to rest your jaw, a soft and flexible mouthpiece to better shield your tongue and cheek and high quality illumination of your mouth, which reduces shadowing and makes treatment even more accurate. Added benefits include new technologies that eliminate the need for cotton rolls and rinse breaks. Come in and experience the difference!
