Tulsa Midtown Dentistry

What is involved in Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation Dentistry allows the dentist to perform treatment safely and more comfortably than ever expected. After taking a pill or a prepared drink, the treated patient is drowsy or in a sleepy state, detached from the sounds and procedures and unaware of time.

After the initial examination, diagnosis and consultation, the Sedation and treatment appointment will be scheduled. A small sensor will be placed on a fingertip and a blood pressure cuff will be placed for visible monitoring. The patient is given one or more small pills or a liquid drink and allowed to reach a constantly monitored relaxed sleeplike state. When the patient is completely relaxed and comfortable, the doctor will begin the treatment. A companion driver will be required since the patient will not be able to drive. Most will have little, if any memory of the appointment.

Who is a Good Candidate for Sedation Dentistry?

Sedation Dentistry is useful for adults who:Have high anxiety about dental visits , needles, etc.

Have had past traumatic dental experiences
Have difficulty getting numb
Have a strong gag reflex
Hate the noises and/or smells associated with dental care
Do not have the time for multiple visits and would have difficulty tolerating long appointments.

More Important Facts
You will not be unconscious. You will be very relaxed, but you will be able to respond. You will probably not, however, remember much about your visit.

You will not have an IV. No tubes or needles are necessary for the sedation. You just simply swallow a pill or liquid.

Depending on age of patient and dentist discretion, you companion may leave the office during treatment. During the actual procedure, your companion is free to stay, or leave and come back to pick you up at the end of the procedure.

There are age limits. Sedation Dentistry is recommended for adults age 18 to 80, but a careful screening will be performed for any medical conditions that may prevent you from being a candidate.

Most will experience comfort. Most likely you will fill no pain; however, those who feel, usually describe it as an unconcerned awareness. Length of sedation: You will be sedated for 2 to 8 hours, depending on your dental care needs. You will often still be drowsy after you leave our office and should not plan any activities for several hours.

We treat all patients in a kind and gentle manner. This is the best way to reduce nerves in the long term. Some patients are, however, extremely nervous and require, at least initially, some form of sedation. Sometimes sedation is required if a particularly unpleasant procedure, such as surgery, has to be performed.

Our philosophy regarding sedation is based on treating all our patients in a kind and gentle way so that eventually they find that they do not need the sedation at all.

Inhalation sedation, laughing gas, relative analgesia, RA, happy gas, gas, nitrous, nitrous oxide, N2O-O2... this one has more synonyms than any other sedation technique! And deservedly so. Inhalation sedation with nitrous oxide (N2O) and oxygen (O2) has been described as "representing the most nearly 'ideal' clinical sedative circumstance"..

Nitrous oxide works very rapidly - it reaches the brain within 20 seconds, and relaxation and pain-reducing properties develop after 2 or 3 minutes.
The depth of sedation can be altered from moment to moment, allowing the person who administers the gas to increase or decrease the depth of sedation.
Other sedation techniques have a fixed duration of action.
There's usually no "hangover" effect - the gas is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped. You can safely drive home and don't need an escort.
With nitrous oxide, it's easy to give incremental doses until the desired action is obtained (this is called "titration").
Inhalation sedation is very safe. It has very few side effects and the drugs used have no ill effects on the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain.
For certain procedures, especially those involving soft tissues (e. g. deep cleaning), inhalation sedation may be used instead of local anesthesia in some patients. N2O acts as a painkiller; however, its pain-relieving effects vary a lot from person to person and can't be relied upon. * Inhalation sedation has been found to be very effective in eliminating or at least minimizing severe gagging.