Sedation Dentistry – McMinnville, OR

Who Is a Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide Sedation?

Nitrous oxide is the lightest and gentlest form of sedation dentistry, making it a great choice for practically any patient. Children, teens, adults, and even older adults can benefit from the soothing sensations of nitrous oxide sedation. It’s commonly used to help patients who:

• Are nervous of the dentist and need help relaxing in the chair
• Are feeling very worried, anxious, or scared of their next dental treatment
• Have sensitive teeth or an overactive gag reflex
• Suffer from neck, back, or jaw pain that makes sitting in the examination chair uncomfortable
• Have special needs or have difficulty sitting still
• Will be completing several treatments during one appointment
• Are having an extensive treatment done, such as root canal therapy

How Does Nitrous Oxide Sedation Work?

Using nitrous oxide sedation is easy and stress-free. Once you’ve settled into the examination chair, we’ll place a small mask over your nose. Within just a few minutes of breathing the odorless, colorless gas, you’ll feel a light, airy sensation wash over you. Some people feel tingling in their fingers or toes, and some may begin to find little things very funny. This is where nitrous oxide earns its nickname “laughing gas!”

You’ll remain conscious throughout your appointment with nitrous oxide and will be able to respond to our basic instructions and questions. However, you’ll be completely oblivious to the sights, sounds, and other sensations that would typically bother you. Your body’s ability to register pain will be suppressed as well, and some patients feel so comfortable that they drift off to sleep during their treatment! Our team will monitor your vital signs closely, and we’ll be able to adjust your level of sedation at any time to ensure you are as comfortable and safe as possible.

Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide Sedation

There are virtually no side effects from nitrous oxide sedation! Once your procedure is over, we’ll remove the nose mask. Within minutes, you’ll return to your normal level of alertness. You’ll even be fine to drive yourself home and continue on with your day without any interruption. Some patients, mostly children, feel slightly nauseous after using nitrous oxide sedation, but this feeling should be minimal and pass on its own very quickly.

What Is Oral Conscious Sedation?

In the simplest terms, oral conscious sedation is essentially a form of sedation dentistry that is taken in the form of a pill, such as Valium, Halcion, Ativan, or a similar prescription medication. There’s no need to wear a facial mask to inhale your sedative nor receive an injection; all you need to do is take the pill either once you arrive at our office or just before your appointment time. The medication usually takes about 15 minutes to kick in on average. Because the sedative’s effects are long-lasting, you can expect to feel calm and comfortable during your entire visit.

How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work?

You’ll need to plan in advance to have a friend or family member drive you to and from the practice as you won’t be able to drive yourself anywhere for the rest of the day after taking oral conscious sedation. You should feel deeply calm and at ease after taking the sedative, but still able to receive commands from our dentists and express your comfort levels during your procedure. In most cases, patients do not remember most of their appointment. Our team will closely monitor you throughout the entire procedure to ensure your safety from start-to-finish.

Are You a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?

Because oral conscious sedation is stronger than nitrous oxide, it’s generally recommended for those with more moderate levels of dental anxiety. Additionally, we may recommend for those who have:

• Issues with dental-related stimuli (common sights, sounds, and smells that can occur in a dental office)
• A sensitive gag reflex or low pain tolerance
• Difficulty visiting the dentist due to fear of hearing bad dental news
• The need to complete a very long treatment or multiple treatments back-to-back
• Had bad dental experiences in the past
• Had difficulty sitting still in the dental chair in the past
• Had difficulty receiving local anesthesia

What is IV Sedation?

This form of sedation dentistry is specifically administered intravenously, or directly into a patient’s bloodstream—allowing the effects of the medication to begin much more quickly compared to other types of sedatives. Throughout the appointment, you’ll technically remain conscious during your procedure, but you’ll likely feel incredibly euphoric and relaxed that you might not recall every detail of the process. This is because the IV sedative is much more potent compared to that of nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation. This also means that the effects will last much longer than milder forms of medication, so you’ll need to have a trusted friend or family member take you to and from your visit. Of course, our team will closely monitor your vitals throughout your appointment to ensure you’re completely safe.

Who is a Good Candidate for IV Sedation?

In most cases, IV sedation is reserved for patients who are planning on undergoing extensive procedures or oral surgery. Not only can it effectively lower your body’s ability to register pain or discomfort, but it can also help significantly reduce high levels of anxiety or fear related to dental care. Furthermore, those who struggle with strong gag reflexes, TMJ disorder, or other neuromuscular complications that can make it challenging to keep their mouth open for extended periods can benefit greatly from this form of sedation. To determine if you’re eligible for IV sedation, Dr. Ramsay will review your medical/health history and discuss your anxiety level before moving forward with your dental care.

The Benefits of IV Sedation

You can typically expect to make the most of a variety of advantages by receiving IV sedation for your dental treatment. Some of the most common benefits include:

• Fast relaxing effects due to administration directly into the bloodstream
• Patients can improve and maintain their pearly whites despite having high dental anxiety
• Deeper state of comfort and relaxation for a more pleasant experience at the dentist’s office
• The dental team controls the flow of the sedative completely, ensuring the perfect dosage a constant and safe state of relaxation

Which Type of Dental Sedation Is Right for Me?

Practically any patient can be a good candidate for sedation dentistry, however, not all sedation options are good choices for every patient. Factors like your age, health, and medical history will influence which type of sedation dentistry is right for you. To determine which type of sedation would be the most effective for you, we’ll need to see you for a consultation. Once we’ve evaluated you and reviewed your medical history, we can make a recommendation on which type of sedation dentistry would be best for you.

How Safe Is Sedation Dentistry?

When administered by an experienced professional like Dr. Ramsay, sedation dentistry is incredibly safe. Before we recommend dental sedation, we do a thorough review of your medical history and current medications to discover if there may be any negative reactions. When sedated, our team will monitor you closely at all times to ensure you are as comfortable and safe as possible. With nitrous oxide sedation and IV sedation, we’ll be able to adjust your level of sedation at any given time throughout your treatment.

Does Sedation Dentistry Put You to Sleep?

Dental sedation does not put you to sleep, nor does it knock you unconscious. However, many patients have little to no memory of their treatment afterwards, making it appear as if they had been put to sleep. Patients undergoing oral conscious sedation or IV sedation may become so groggy that they doze off while we work on their smile, but they can easily be awoken with a gentle nudge. This is much safer than “putting you under” and it provides many of the same benefits.

Do You Feel Pain with Sedation Dentistry?

When you are sedated, you shouldn’t feel any pain at all. You may feel pressure in your mouth from time to time as we work, but it should be completely comfortable. While sedation dentistry is not necessarily a pain reliever, it influences how your body perceives discomfort and makes you oblivious to the sights, sounds, and sensations that would otherwise cause you physical or emotional discomfort.

How Long Does Dental Sedation Last?

How long the effects of your sedation last will depend on what type you’re using. Generally, here’s what you can expect:

• Nitrous oxide sedation: This quick and light form of dental sedation requires almost no recovery time. Within moments of removing the mask over your nose, you’ll return to your normal level of alertness. You’ll even be able to drive yourself home and continue on with your day as normal.
• Oral conscious sedation: Oral conscious sedation achieves a deeper level of relaxation, and it takes longer for the effects to take effect and wear off. You’ll need a trusted friend or family member to take you to and from your appointment, but you will feel back to normal the following day, perhaps even that evening.
• IV sedation: As the most powerful form of sedation dentistry, you will feel groggy for quite some time after your appointment. You will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, and you should plan on taking it easy for the rest of the day.