Sedation Dentistry
Arvada Family and Cosmetic Dentistry offers sedation and “No Fear Sleep Dentistry” to help eliminate fear and anxiety as a barrier to the dental treatment our patients need.
Sedation Dentistry - Relaxed and Comfortable Experience
We use dental sedation, a technique that can help patients who suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia. We are happy to offer a number of solutions to make our patients’ dental visits as comfortable as possible. Sedation dentistry techniques enable patients – who might otherwise avoid the dentist – to receive the necessary dental treatment for a healthy and beautiful smile.
Sedation dentistry also makes the experience easier for those patients who are not afraid but simply don’t want to be awake for a long procedure. With sedation, you can basically fall asleep at the start of the procedure. We will wake you up when it’s all done. It’s like sleeping through a long airplane flight and waking up when the wheels touch down!
The experience typically leaves patients feeling more relaxed and comfortable, even after a longer procedure than they would normally be able to sit comfortably for.
Varying Degrees of Sedation Dentistry
Depending on the extent of the anxiety or phobia, we can utilize varying degrees of dental sedation as described below.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
We commonly use nitrous oxide sedation, also known as “laughing gas,” to make treatment more comfortable. You inhale this sedation through a mask. The mask allows you to breathe in the medication and induces a state of relaxation. We will administer a local anesthetic in conjunction with nitrous oxide to eliminate pain. This technique acts fast and dissipates quickly. An adult does not need an escort after a few minutes of treatment. They can drive safely within a few minutes after treatment. While this technique greatly relaxes the patient, it will not generally cause them to sleep through a procedure.
Oral Medication Sedation
The patient swallows pills to bring them to a sleep-like level of consciousness. This technique is generally the slowest. It usually takes from 30-90 minutes for the medicine to take effect. It is the hardest to control with regard to how sleepy the patient will be. However, we can usually make the patient sleep through the procedure if they wish to do so. This option is for those patients who want to sleep through the procedure but do not want to experience any needle injections. Patients must have an escort to drive them home. They must also have someone stay with them until the effects of the sedation fully wear off.
IV Sedation
The patient receives medicine via an IV line to bring them to a sleep-like state. This technique works fairly quickly (usually less than 5-10 minutes). It is very well controllable. This option is for those patients who want to sleep through the procedure and are not afraid of needles outside of their mouths (i.e., injection in their arm is okay). Patients must have an escort to drive them home. They must also have someone stay with them until the effects of the sedation fully wear off.
