Sedation Dentistry – Carrollton, TX

Sedation dentistry is a perfectly safe option for most patients so long as it’s performed by a trained and licensed medical professional. Most people can manage nitrous oxide without any concerns since it’s the mildest form of this kind of treatment. However, oral conscious sedation and IV sedation may not be suitable for everyone, as certain health issues or medications can sometimes interfere with the intended effects. Our team can review your medical history to determine whether sedation is a good option for you.

Sedation dentistry can effectively suppress your body’s ability to register pain. Even if you experience some discomfort, you are more likely to feel pressure than outright pain. Depending on your procedure, your dentist may also numb your mouth with a local anesthetic to ensure you remain comfortable and pain-free throughout your treatment.

It’s pretty rare for patients to grow ill after receiving nitrous oxide sedation; while some people can experience mild nausea or lightheadedness, it’s typically short-lived. Oral conscious sedation and IV sedation are much stronger, so there is a slightly increased chance of encountering side effects. To minimize your risks of a complication, our team will usually recommend that you fast or refrain from eating several hours before your appointment, or scheduling your appointment early in the day.

One of the primary benefits of using nitrous oxide for dental procedures is that both the timing and dosage can be easily and accurately controlled. Once the nasal mask has been applied, it won’t take long to begin feeling the effects of the gas. However, once the dental work has been completed and the mask is removed, the patient will merely have to take a couple of deep breaths to begin enjoying mental clarity within a few minutes.

Some kinds of dental sedation can cause forgetfulness, but that doesn’t apply to nitrous oxide. This drug leaves you lucid enough to remember your treatment.

Don’t forget that nitrous oxide is a mild sedative, all things considered. It won’t “knock you out” or cause any severe symptoms. At most, it’ll just make you feel calm, mildly euphoric, and willing to receive your procedure. The gas shouldn’t cause a major memory loss effect for you or other patients.

For details on how nitrous oxide may affect you, consult Dr. Chandy. She’ll gladly tell you more!

Patients can experience dental sedation differently, with reactions varying from one person to the next. Still, nitrous oxide does tend to cause certain standard sensations.

All in all, nitrous oxide should make you feel relaxed, light, and euphoric. Some patients even note a tingling sensation in their arms and legs, which will wear off after treatment. The gas can also cause fits of the giggles – hence its nickname of “laughing gas.”

Sedation dentistry is safe for most patients, with almost no exceptions. That said, it can present some minor risks for some people.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or who take certain medicines should be especially cautious. Based on current research, sedation could trigger complications in such people. Sleep apnea might lead you to choke while breathing nitrous oxide, and specific drugs could do the same.

Aside from these qualifiers, dental sedation’s side effects are harmless. Even the worst ones only amount to mild nausea, temporary headaches, and grogginess.

For the right patients, sedation dentistry is absolutely worthwhile. It can make a procedure or treatment that’d otherwise be very difficult much easier.

Say that you have severe dental anxiety, for instance. Sedation would let you receive a treatment you’d otherwise put off to the latest possible time. In doing so, it’d help you get care before the final dental work became highly invasive and expensive. (You might receive a root canal instead of a tooth extraction, etc.)

Of course, sedation also has priceless perks. The relaxing dental visit it promises is much more enjoyable than an appointment filled with fear!