Sedation Dentistry, sometimes called Relaxation Dentistry, refers to the way dentist's  manage Pain and Anxiety during dental appointments.    Often times, sedation dentistry is ideal for people who require a lot of dental work a safe way to reduce the fatigue of extended dental treatment requiring long visits ideal for individuals that are highly fearful of dentists, have had traumatic dental experiences, have a bad gag reflex, have very sensitive teeth, have difficulty getting numb, have complex dental problems with limited time to complete dental care, have strong distaste for the noises, smells, and tastes associated with dental care, or are simply too afraid or embarrassed about their teeth If you feel that sedation is necessary for your dental care, contact us.     Types of Sedation The 2 most common types of Sedation (Sedation Dentistry) used by General and Restorative Dentists who utilize sedation are: Oral Conscious Sedation is administered by taking a pill. All body functions remain normal and the person is able to breathe on their own. The patient will often fall asleep. Some degree of amnesia is common. The disadvantage with this method of sedation, is that the level of sedation for each person is not predictable.    Benefits With oral sedation we can work on patients for a longer period of time. The pills stay in a patients system for several hours after the appointment, so we get few complaints of pain after procedures are completed. Easy to administer: Swallow a small pill  Works well for most people It is safe and easy to monitor Low Cost   Inhalation Conscious Sedation, Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Sedation also known as "laughing gas" is the most frequently used sedation method used  in dentistry.   35% of all US dentists offer Nitrous Oxide Sedation to their patients.  Benefits Works well for mild to moderate anxiety Rapid Onset Flexible duration can be used for any appointment length Absolute Control. It is easy to quickly control the level of sedation which may be altered moment to moment.  People recover quickly Very few side effects There is an analgesic effect You can drive yourself to and from your dental appointment You can return to normal activities immediately