Does the thought of going to the dentist make you feel anxious? If so, you’re not alone. Every year, many patients avoid care because of anxiety. Thankfully, there is a way to overcome fretful feelings and receive the important care you need. At Advanced Dental Care, Dr. Jorgenson offers effective sedation options to help patients have a completely different kind of experience.
Oral conscious sedation uses a safe and commonly prescribed medication to create feelings of relaxation. On the day of your appointment, you’ll take your medication as directed and wait for it to take effect. By the time you arrive at our office with a friend or family member behind the wheel, you’ll be relaxed enough for us to begin your procedure. The effects of oral conscious sedation take time to wear off, so you’ll also need to have someone with you afterwards.
Learn More About Oral Conscious Sedation
If you or your child just need a little help to get through your appointments, nitrous oxide sedation is a safe method that dentists have used for over 100 years. A patient simply inhales the gas through a small nasal mask, and within minutes, a complete sense of calm comes over them. The mask stays on the entire time, and once it is removed, the patient should feel completely normal within a matter of minutes. To find out whether or not this option is right for you, continue reading or call our Costa Mesa office to reserve an appointment with Dr. Jorgenson.
Nitrous oxide is the most commonly used form of dental sedation because nearly any patient can qualify for it. It’s considered a safe and effective choice for children, teens, adults, and older adults alike. We’ll generally recommend nitrous oxide sedation for patients who:
If you’re breastfeeding, have certain medical conditions, or are currently suffering from nasal congestion, you may not be a good candidate for this method of sedation. During your consultation, we’ll review your medical history and check for potential complications to ensure nitrous oxide is the right option for you.
Administered through a small nose mask, nitrous oxide is a colorless and odorless gas you inhale. It’s designed to help slow your brain’s activity and make you feel like you’re being put into a dreamlike state. Some patients may feel so relaxed and at ease that they giggle from time to time, which is why nitrous oxide is often referred to as laughing gas.
Throughout your treatment, you’ll remain conscious enough to respond to simple questions and follow easy instructions. However, you may drift off into a light sleep and not remember much of your appointment afterward. We’ll monitor your vitals (i.e., breathing and heart rate) the entire time you’re sedated to ensure you’re at a comfortable level.
In many cases, the effects of nitrous oxide will fade away as quickly as they set in. Because of that, many patients can expect to return to their usual day-to-day routine immediately following their appointment. Of course, some people experience short-term effects like dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. The good news is that these typically go away once you regain alertness. Be sure to follow any treatment-specific instructions provided by your dentist.
We also offer IV sedation, a deeper form of relaxation and comfort for more extensive procedures. Patients who are extremely anxious or afraid of the dentist may also elect for this service because it makes them less aware of what’s going on. While you can fall asleep during this time, you can still be woken up, making it an incredibly useful service for our office to offer. It works quickly, and best of all, anxious patients won’t remember what exactly occurs during their appointments. If you want to learn more about this service, contact our office today!
Our compassionate providers in Costa Mesa understand that plenty of patients feel anxious about dental visits, but if you’re unsure of what to expect from sedation, you might avoid this potentially helpful service.
We offer three options: nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral conscious sedation prescribed as a pill, and IV sedation that is administered intravenously. Typically, laughing gas induces a sense of relaxation or euphoria, and you might even catch a bad case of the giggles, and oral conscious sedation can make you feel so at ease that you naturally drift off during your procedure (though neither option is intended to ‘knock you out’). IV sedation produces similar effects but is much more amplified.
These medications are not intended to render you unconscious or function like a truth serum that has you spilling all your deepest secrets. But they can prevent your body from sensing and responding to external stimuli and can cause short-term amnesia, making it difficult to recall the details of your visit afterward. Many more anxious patients consider this brief memory loss to be yet another benefit of undergoing dental sedation.
Dental insurance can often be an effective way to reduce out-of-pocket costs for a variety of treatments and procedures, but unfortunately, most of these plans categorize this service as a luxury rather than a necessity and don’t cover the cost.
But every plan is different, and there may be exceptions, so it’s worth checking your details just in case. If you’re uninsured, don’t lose hope! We also gladly accept flexible financial plans through CareCredit and Sunbit, which allow you to divide your invoice into more manageable installments over a designated period if your application is approved.
It’s natural to have questions about how long these medications linger in your system so you can make appropriate plans as needed, like finding someone to help drive you home after your appointment. But the longevity of its impact can vary based on the type of sedation you receive as well as your unique biological chemistry.
Nitrous oxide typically kicks in moments after it’s inhaled through the nose mask and usually dissipates just as quickly from your bloodstream once the mask is removed, so you can resume your normal activities. The effects of oral conscious sedation might last throughout the day, but usually clear after a solid night’s sleep. Meanwhile, you’ll likely feel groggy after IV sedation, so it’s best to have a ride home.
I Need a Checkup & Cleaning I am Looking for a Dentist for My Child I am Concerned About Bleeding Gums I Have a Cavity or Broken Tooth I am Missing One or More Teeth I am Unhappy with My Smile I Want a Straighter Smile I am In Pain & Need Help I Need My Wisdom Teeth Removed View Our Services