Sedation Dentistry

Dental sedation is a vital part of dentistry owing to the significance it has. Many people have a misconception about sedation that it is only used to numb the tissues of the body or put the patient to deep sleep. Although deep sedation is used for these purposes, mild and moderate sedation is used by dentists to calm the patient's nerves and induce a feeling of relaxation.

What is Nitrous oxide?

Nitrous oxide, or commonly referred to as laughing gas, is one of the most widely used oral sedatives. It is an odorless and colorless gas that produces a feeling of calmness in the individual when inhaled. The dentist would suggest laughing gas sedation when patients have a hard time staying seated still in the dental chair or make a fuss to get treated. When it comes to children, nitrous oxide is the most preferred sedative owing to its safe and non-invasive nature.

How does the dentist administer nitrous oxide?

When you bring children to the dentist's practice, they may fear the sight of all the dental equipment and have a hard time cooperating and listening to the dentist's commands. To make matters worse, they may throw a tantrum and make it virtually impossible for us to treat. In such cases, the dentist may recommend the use of nitrous oxide.

The setup consists of a comfortably fitting face mask that will be placed on the child's face. It would cover both the nose and the mouth. A controlled amount of nitrous oxide will be supplied to the mask, which the patient can inhale. Within a few minutes of inhalation, the drug would start to take effect. It makes even the most ordinary things seem funny, thereby relaxing the child and allowing them to calm down gradually. After a few minutes, the effect of the sedative would slowly wear off by itself without the need for any recovering agent.

What are the advantages of nitrous oxide?

• The drug is non-invasive as it doesn't cause any permanent changes to the body.
• It can be administered in gaseous form without the need for any needles, making the process painless.
• It wears off quickly and leaves no dizziness.
• It is the mildest form of sedation that is suitable for young patients.

Please do schedule a consultation with our highly trained team of dental experts, and we'll guide you further. Please call us at (480) 739-2993 or reach us through online consultation.