Dental Sedation
Dental Sedation
While many of our patients do not require sedation, there is no doubt that appropriate sedation during dental procedures provides benefits to, both, the dentist and the patient where necessary. Anxiety at the dentist is common and may present for a variety of reasons from traumatic experiences to sensory discomfort and even claustrophobia.
When patient anxiety is high, the muscles are often tensed throughout a procedure, leading to head and body aches when the fight or flight response subsides. Anxious children may find it difficult to remain still during procedures – this makes the dentist’s meticulous job more difficult to perform safely and can result in longer procedure time overall.
If you or your child feel anxious at the dentist, sedation may improve your experience.
Nitrous Oxide
You may know this gas as laughing gas, due to its mildly euphoric effect when inhaled. The gas is inhaled through the nose, allowing the mouth to remain open throughout the procedure. This gas offers relief from stress and introduces a sense of calm. It has a near-immediate onset and can be re-dosed throughout the procedure at the patient’s discretion. Once the procedure has been performed, the gas is discontinued and leaves no residual impact on the body. The profile of this form of sedation is safe for use in adults and children. As a matter of fact, we strongly encourage the use of nitrous gas for children under age 9 during their filling appointment. This will ensure that your child has a great experience at our clinic and enjoys his/her future dental visits.
Looking to get in touch?
Lotus Dental Wellness is always happy to accept new patients, from individuals to families to people just visiting the area. We also offer Emergency Same-Day Appointments for those experiencing dental emergencies. Lotus Dental Wellness follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide and offer direct billing for convenience. We look forward to seeing your smile!
Oral Sedation
Oral sedation is offered to our adult patients who are concerned about their expected level of anxiety during procedures. This form of sedation uses medications in the benzodiazepine class of drugs and is ingested prior to a scheduled procedure. These medications suppress the central nervous system temporarily, allowing the patient to feel calm and slightly drowsy during their procedure.
Note that in both cases, patients remain conscious and responsive.
Your Appointment
We recommend speaking with your dentist about your level of anxiety or discomfort before your procedure in order to determine what kind of sedation, if any, may be offered. We require all patients who are under the influence of oral sedation to have a chaperone to and from our clinic. Since judgment can be influenced, walking or riding a bike home is not considered a safe mode of transportation. By the next day, the effects of the oral sedative will have abated, and it is then safe to drive or operate machinery.
If you have questions about this or other services offered by our general dentist, contact our clinic today.