Sedation Dentistry

We at Dr. C. Brigg Neibaur’s dental practice are very much aware of how new patients may be afraid or anxious about their appointments. It’s a very common phobia, as it affects about 30 to 40 million people. It’s for that reason we make sure we have the best in sedation dentistry to offer our patients.

Goals of Sedation Dentistry

Sedation dentistry refers to the use of sedatives so that patients will feel relaxed and calm. During the procedure, you’ll remain conscious because there’s always a chance that you may have to follow some instructions. You may be asked to turn your head or to open your mouth wider, and you won’t be able to do that if you’re asleep.

After everything’s done, you’ll remember how relaxed you felt and how time seemed to speed up. These can help in enabling you to overcome your fears of going back to our dental office for your next appointment.

Sedation Levels and Types

There are different types of sedation methods, and we try to match the sedation method with your situation.

• The lightest and mildest level of sedation is the use of nitrous oxide, or what’s commonly known as laughing gas. You inhale it through a mask and we adjust the level of the N2O by simply turning a valve. It’s an entirely safe type of sedation that even young patients can use it. You’ll feel happy and relaxed, and afterwards the effects can dissipate completely after a few minutes so you can drive yourself home.
• If N2O isn’t enough to calm you down, we can use an IV to provide you with moderate sedation. The sedative effects of this method are much quicker, and the IV still allows us to control the rate of the sedation.
• The most serious sedation level is general anesthesia. We only use this for the most serious dental surgeries. This type leaves you virtually or even totally unconscious right away so you won’t feel any pain or anxiety.

With sedation dentistry, we can ensure that you’re calm and relaxed for any kind of dental procedure.