Sedation Dentistry

Professional Sedation Dentistry In Oceanside

You aren't alone if you experience fear or anxiety when visiting the dentist. Fears about going to the dentist are common, but there are comfortable ways to ease your stress. Whether you have a fear of the dentist or are worried about pain and discomfort, sedation dentistry can help make your next dental visit more comfortable.

The team at Oceanside Dental Excellence cares deeply about patient comfort and wants to ensure your visit with us is as easy as possible. We provide several options for sedation dentistry that will help you relax comfortably during any dental treatment!

Call us today to discuss if sedation dentistry can help you!

Who Can Benefit From Sedation Dentistry?

We know that many people have dental anxieties and fears. Some people may just feel a bit uneasy, while for others, going to the dentist is a significant stressor. If you have any level of anxiety around the dentist, we provide sedation options that offer relief.

We recommend considering this option for patients with:

Sensitive teeth.
Physical, cognitive, or behavioral needs.
A strong gag reflex that makes some treatments difficult.
Claustrophobia.
Fears or anxieties around going to the dentist.
Resistance to some local anesthesia.

If you have questions about sedation options for you or someone in your family, we are happy to answer them.

laughing gas sedation dentistry in Oceanside CA

Professional Dental Sedation for a Better Experience

At Oceanside Dental Excellence, we understand the fears that can come with dental procedures and will work with you to create a comfortable and stress-free experience. Your physical and emotional comfort is key to our dental practice.

Our sedation options can help ease your fears and anxieties and allow you to walk away from your dental visits without any painful memories.

Sedation dentistry uses medication to help you relax during dental procedures. Sedation can be used for everything from cleanings to advanced dental treatments. We will work with you to decide which sedation will make you the most comfortable during your visit.

Don’t Stress—Ask Oceanside Dental Excellence About Sedation Dentistry Today!

Don’t neglect your oral health because of dental anxiety—call Oceanside Dental Excellence today! We work to make every patient feel comfortable through every visit. We offer multiple sedation options for patients to help you feel relaxed for any treatment.

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How Can Sedation Dentistry Help You?

Fear of Visiting a Dentist

If you get stressed about seeing a dentist—whether you’re a little nervous or fully petrified of the idea—you are not alone! Many people suffer from dental anxiety, but sedation dentistry can go a long way to help you relax and get the oral health care you need. Our team is dedicated to helping you feel at ease. Tell us your concerns and we’ll match you with a sedation solution to help!

Anxiety Around Dentists

Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with a dentist or dental office in the past? Whatever the reason for your anxiety, we want to help you get through it. Practice makes perfect—sedation dentistry can help you have more ease from your first visit. Then having a better experience during one visit to the dentist can help you feel less stressed about your next appointment. Soon, you may not need sedation anymore!

Sensitive Nerves

The more sensitive your teeth or nerves are, the harder it may be for you to sit through longer dental procedures like fillings or even deep cleanings. This nerve sensitivity may also make you more resistant to localized numbing methods—this is where dental sedation comes in. Sedation can help you sit through appointments easier and not feel as much pain when used in addition to the topical numbing agent.

Extra Sensitive Gag Reflex

Some people may take issue with any foreign object in their mouths—including cleaning tools or hands holding those tools. We get it! If you have an extra sensitive gag reflex, sedation dentistry can help you sit still to get the dental care you need without feeling the need to flinch away from everything.

Physical Disorders or Uncontrolled Movement

Sedation dentistry is a great option for patients who have troubles sitting still for a long time. It can especially help patients with physical limitations or disorders. Dental sedation works by relaxing your whole body and your mind and helps lessen any pain from your visit—including stiff joints from sitting too long. We have many levels of sedation to help every patient get excellent oral care.

Difficulty Getting Numb

If you tend to be more resistant to topical or localized numbing agents, sedation dentistry can be a good workaround for you. Sedation relaxes your whole body—not just the affected area of your treatment, so it will help you feel less for your whole procedure.

Long Visits or Extensive Work in a Single Visit

Sedation dentistry helps you have an easier time during treatment. Since sedation dentistry helps you relax, you'll likely find it easier to feel comfortable in the chair, and the process will likely go much faster. Because this helps both you and the dentist get through a single treatment faster, we may be able to schedule multiple needed treatments for the same visit to save you from multiple visits.

Neck or Back Problems

Most sedation dentistry options are done alongside local anesthesia or other pain relief, depending on the type of treatment you are getting. So, you can expect us to help you manage any pain or discomfort using multiple options. Sedation dentistry can help your whole body feel comfortable during the visit, even if you have chronic neck or back pain.

Types of Dental Sedation

1

Inhalation Sedation

Commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is an inexpensive, light dental sedation method that provides anxiety reduction and a higher level of pain relief. This sedation is administered through a breathing mask so you inhale it to get the relaxing effects throughout your treatment. The gas wears off quickly, typically allowing the patient to drive home unassisted after the procedure.

2

Oral Sedation

Oral sedation is an excellent sedation dentistry option for moderate cases. It's another standard method, and all you need to do is take a pill. Your dentist administers various medications to prepare for the appointment. Usually, you'll take an oral sedative. You will have to remember to take the medication before your visit, so be sure you have someone to drive you there and back.

3

IV Sedation

IV sedation is one of the best options for more severe anxiety. It's a good choice for patients who are extremely stressed or who have physical difficulties sitting still. In these cases, sedation might be necessary for safety reasons.

IV sedation will make the process easier. You will still be mostly conscious, but you'll be more relaxed and possibly even fall asleep and not remember the details of your treatment.

4

General Anesthesia

General anesthesia is a specialized form of sedation that puts a patient completely to sleep for the treatment. General anesthesia works best for significant procedures or procedures that require more time. This form of anesthesia requires constant supervision of a trained anesthesiologist or specially trained dentist. Most dental treatments don't require this form of deep sedation.

What to Expect From Sedation Dentistry

Consultation

During the consultation, one of our doctors will speak with you about the right sedation option for the visit. We will talk to you about what you feel comfortable with and consider the procedure. The consultation may take place both before and during your appointment.

At Oceanside Dental Excellence, we always take the time to talk with you. You can always expect to have your questions answered and any concerns addressed. We want you to trust we have your needs as a top priority and that we want to give you the best patient experience possible.

Procedure

The sedation dentistry treatment process will adjust depending on the type of sedation you'll receive.

Application: You'll receive the treatments for inhalation and IV sedation during your visit. For oral sedation, you may need to take a pill at home or in the waiting room before your visit.

Monitoring: Our team will monitor you during the visit regardless of which kind of oral sedation you get. We always ensure you are safe and healthy.

Transportation After Sedation

At the end of your appointment, you should generally prepare to have someone else—such as a friend, partner, or family member—drive you home. Depending on the level of sedation you need, you may want to plan on taking the rest of the day off from work to recover as well.

Laughing gas wears off fairly quickly and you should be able to drive yourself home after the appointment. Oral sedation and IV sedation may need a few hours to a full day to clear your system, and you should not drive while they are affecting you.

Recovery

Laughing gas, as an inhaled sedation method, clears the quickest from your system. As soon as you take off the mask, it’s already starting to wear off. Within 15 minutes its effects should be completely gone.

Oral and IV sedation affect the bloodstream more thoroughly and will need longer to completely leave your system. You should feel more alert in a few hours, but you will likely need a full day for the effects to fully wear off. Be sure to have someone drive you home and take the day off to rest.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sedation Dentistry

While you can always ask the Oceanside Dental Excellence team about sedation dentistry or any other treatment options, we've compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions for your convenience.

What Risks Are Associated With Sedation Dentistry?

Overall, sedation dentistry is relatively safe. As with any medication, there are some potential risks and side effects. With most IV or oral sedation, you can expect some grogginess and tiredness after the procedure. It's essential to have someone drive you home because of this. Some other common but mild symptoms include headaches.

If you notice any long-lasting or severe side effects, seek medical help right away.

Do You Offer Sedation Dentistry for Children?

Here at Oceanside Dental Excellence, we do not use sedation on children.

Is Sedation Dentistry Safe If I'm Pregnant?

During pregnancy, many medications and medical treatments are much riskier, as they can impact the development of the baby. Most sedation dentistry options aren't recommended for pregnant people. This is because there are some risks of side effects to the baby.

If you are pregnant and have dental anxiety, reach out to us to discuss how we can help make you more comfortable.

How Long Will It Take To Recover?

Each person is different, and recovery time varies depending on your body type and the kind of sedation you receive. Usually, you'll recover within 15 minutes for nitrous oxide and around 24 hours for oral or IV sedation.

If you receive oral or IV sedation, it's best to give yourself extra time to rest, so don't plan on doing any driving or other strenuous activities.

Can I Go To Work After Sedation Dentistry?

After a laughing gas treatment, you can go back to work or whatever else you have planned for your day. If you have another sedation option, plan on taking work off for the rest of that day and maybe even the next day to be sure you’re back up to your full mental and physical capacity. Some people take longer to recover than others, but our team will walk you through the process and give any care instructions.

When Can I Drive?

If you used laughing gas (nitrous oxide), you should be okay to drive within 15 minutes after the mask was taken off. This is usually just the right amount of time for the dentist to give a final exam and go over your payment and schedule any future appointments.

With oral or IV sedation, you may need as much as 24 hours to fully recover; so wait until the day after your appointment to begin driving anywhere.

When Can I Eat?

You should be able to eat and drink immediately after your treatment—if you’re feeling up to it. The sedation itself will not prevent you from eating anything. However, if you need a local numbing agent as well, you will probably want to wait until you can feel your cheeks and tongue again to eat—both so you can better enjoy your food and avoid biting your tongue or cheek while you can’t feel them.

When Should I See A Doctor For Side Effects?

Our staff members will give you instructions for recovery, but you should know that worsening or severe symptoms warrant going to the doctor. If you have a fever or are vomiting, it's important to contact a healthcare provider for assistance. You can also reach out to us for questions about symptoms that persist. But, when in doubt, it's better to reach out for medical care.

Remove the Stress. Contact Us About Sedation Dentistry

Find out more about our sedation dentistry options by reaching out today! Don't stress about the dentist again. Instead, trust our safe, compassionate sedation dentistry services. The Oceanside Dental Excellence team is here to help ease your worries and help you smile!

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