Manage Your Dental Anxiety With Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide is a 100% safe and effective method for managing pain and easing dental anxiety during treatment for both kids and adults. Also known as laughing gas, this colorless odorless gas is used to induce mild sedation that wears off quickly, so you can get back to your day after your appointment.
Contrary to popular belief, nitrous oxide does not put patients to sleep, but rather eases them into a relaxed state. In this state, sensitivity to pain is greatly reduced, as is the gag reflex and extreme anxiety.
The benefits of dental sedation
Sedation and sleep dentistry are useful options that help us serve patients from all walks of life with many different challenges to overcome. Some of the benefits of sedation dentistry are as follows:
Overcoming Dental Anxiety
Sometimes the fear and worry can feel worse than the treatment itself. Dental anxiety shouldn’t stand between you and the dental treatment you need. If you have mild or extreme dental anxiety or fear is keeping you from seeking dental treatment, please speak up! We can help.
Make Time Fly By
For long procedures that leave you sitting in the chair with your mouth wide open for a long time, sedation will keep you relaxed and comfortable. Your procedure will be over before you know it. If you require IV sedation, it will feel like an instant has passed.
Tailored for Your Personal Needs
Do you have a sensitive gag reflex? Chronic restlessness or restless leg syndrome? Does local freezing just not work for you? Sedation is really helpful in many different cases, ensuring that treatment is available to everyone.
What Happens During Nitrous Oxide Sedation?
Anesthetic and sedation options are available to prevent you from feeling pain and discomfort during your dental procedure. There are several methods available and several may be combined to give you complete coverage. The type of sedation or anesthesia used will depend on your personalized treatment plan, your personal needs and the expert opinion of your dentist or specialist.
Discussion
Before moving forward with nitrous oxide treatment, your doctor will discuss your medical history with you to determine if nitrous is a safe option. There are a few reasons why nitrous oxide treatment may not be the best idea for you. Avoid nitrous oxide if the following conditions apply to you:
- You’re in the first trimester of pregnancy
- You experience respiratory problems
- You have a vitamin B-12 deficiency
- You have a history of substance abuse
- You suffer from mental illness
Quick & Efficient
Once your doctor has determined that nitrous oxide is right for you, they will begin the treatment. The administration of nitrous is simple; the doctor places the mask snuggly over your nose and mouth and asks you to breathe and relax.
One reason nitrous oxide is such a popular option is how quickly the effects wear off. After treatment, the doctor will administer at least 5 minutes of 100% oxygen to ensure that the nitrous has been exhaled from your system.
Aftercare
Your face may still feel numb if a numbing medication was also used, but the relaxation effects of the nitrous oxide will be gone after the mask is removed. Once you’ve finished your dental treatment, you can safely return to work and eat.
The Cost of Sedation in London
The cost of sedation services varies based on your insurance coverage. Many insurance plans fully cover this procedure, which is great news for our patients.
If you do not have insurance, it can be challenging to provide an exact estimate due to various factors involved in the procedure, such as:
- The type of sedation used
- The length and complexity of the procedure
- The patient’s medical history
- The specific needs and preferences of the patient
- Additional treatments that may be required
We recommend contacting your insurance provider for a detailed quote before your visit. For any questions about pricing specific to your situation, please don’t hesitate to call our team. We’re here to help!
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rest assured that we talk to each and every one of our patients to understand their medical history to decide if sedation dentistry is the right option for you.
Sedation will make you feel drowsy and relaxed pretty quickly. Some people report feeling a mild tingly sensation. You may also experience mild amnesia afterwards and may not remember anything from the procedure.
Most sedation dentistry options don’t actually involve patients being put to sleep. Rather sedation dentistry allows patients to feel extremely relaxed. You may not even remember any of the procedure once it’s over.
When sedation is involved we always stress the importance of having a friend or family member drive you home and keep you company. It’s important to let the sedation wear off completely and give your body a rest before returning to your regular routine.
If you’ve been sedated for your dental procedure we would advise you to take the day off to recover. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 24-hours before returning to your regular routine. The time it takes for any drowsiness to pass will depend on what kind of sedation you receive but may be somewhere between 2 to 8 hours.
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