Sedation

Nitrous Gas and Conscious Sedation

Have you been putting off a necessary dental procedure for yourself or your child due to anxiety and perceived discomfort? If so, you can go ahead and schedule the appointment. Peak Dental offers nitrous gas and conscious sedation in Irmo, SC. You remain conscious and awake the entire time, and you can finally receive the dental work you need.

Nitrous Gas

Nitrous gas, which was more commonly known as laughing gas in the past, is an odorless and colorless liquid that you breathe in through a mask. As the name conscious sedation implies, you remain awake and alert throughout your appointment. You can respond to questions and commands and feel relaxed enough to cooperate fully with the dental team. Although we can use nitrous gas for nearly any procedure, the following are the most common:

• Dental cleaning
• Dental filling
• Dental implants, crowns, and bridges
• Root canal
• Tissue biopsy

You may feel sleepy or dreamy, but you are still awake. When you need general anesthesia for surgery or a dental procedure, you are entirely unconscious until it is over. You should remember your dental procedure, whereas you wouldn’t remember much, if anything, from being under general anesthesia.

Another major way in which nitrous gas differs from general anesthesia is that the former takes effect right away. You may need to wait up to 60 minutes until you feel relaxed enough from the nitrous gas to start the process. Simple procedures may take as little as 15 to 30 minutes to complete, which means that is all the time you will need to be under sedation. The medication also wears off a lot quicker, which means that you should have no problem driving home.

What Other Forms of Conscious Sedation Are Available?

If you prefer not to inhale medicine through a mask on your face, you might consider taking an oral sedative, receiving a shot, or having your dentist hook you up to an IV line to deliver the medicine. The oral sedative takes about as long as nitrous gas to begin working, but you can get a ride to our clinic and take the medication before you arrive if you prefer.

Another option for receiving sedatives before your dental work is to agree to allow our staff to place an IV line in your arm and deliver the medication that way. We will discuss all sedative options with you during a consultation to ensure you have enough time to choose the one that makes you feel the most comfortable.

Although a less popular choice for conscious sedation, you can request medication that we inject into an arm muscle. The intramuscular and injectable medication that we provide is usually benzodiazepines, while the pill form is typically Valium.

You Remain Under Continuous Monitoring from Our Dental Team

While completing your procedure, one or more members of our dental team monitor your blood pressure and breathing rate to ensure that both remain within normal ranges. You will receive an oxygen mask to wear if your breathing starts to become too shallow or your blood pressure is too high or too low.

We Understand and Are Here to Help

You do not need to feel embarrassed if you have avoided dental work due to anxiety. The problem is much more common than you think. If you feel that you could benefit from nitrous gas and conscious sedation in Irmo, SC, please let us know and we will have it ready when you report for your appointment.

Sources:

Nitrous Oxide | American Dental Association (ada.org)

Conscious Sedation: Definition, Procedures, Side Effects, and More (healthline.com)