Dentistry involves several types of procedures that range from a simple oral cleaning to sophisticated implant placement. While most of them do not cause any pain, some of them do require a certain level of sedation to keep the pain and discomfort at bay. Here are some of the most commonly used types of sedation in dentistry.
Nitrous Oxide, or commonly known as laughing gas, is one of the simplest and most widely-used sedatives. It is a gaseous sedative that has to be inhaled, and once it takes effect, the patient goes into a relaxed state of mind. Even the most ordinary things may appear funny to them, which helps to ease their nerves during the procedure. Nitrous oxide is mostly used on children who tend to make a fuss when they visit the dentist. It is absolutely safe to use and doesn’t have any adverse effects.
Sedatives may be administered in the form of oral pills as well. The dentist will prescribe the right dosage, and the tablets will start to take effect in a few minutes. The level of sedation is slightly higher compared to that of gaseous sedation, and the patient will go into a state of partial consciousness. The chances of you remembering anything during the procedure are faint.
Intravenous sedation is directly injected into the veins and is the strongest form of sedation. It is usually recommended by the dentist when the procedure could be painful or in the case of major surgery. Implant surgery, bone graft, gum graft, etc. will require IV sedation. The effect lasts for a considerably longer time in comparison to other means of sedation. Also, the patient will enter deep sleep under this sedation, which is why they will not have any memory of the procedure.
Please schedule an appointment online or call us at (916) 481-2001 to have a consultation with Dr. Talluri, and we will be happy to help.
MON 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
TUE - THU 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
FRI - SUN Closed
