Sedation Options
Waterfront Dentistry offers two types of sedation for their more anxious clients who are here for dental work but would rather not be ‘here’ for dental work!!
Oral Sedation:
This type of sedation involves the use of a single drug which needs to be prescribed and collected from a pharmacy WELL BEFORE dental treatment. The drug has a quality termed ‘AMNESIA’ which means that although the person taking the drug is mildly sedated, they are fully aware of everything going on at the appointment but he/she may not remember the treatment time spent at the appointment itself after the effect of the drug has completely expired.
Advantages:
- Ease of administration (crush pill and place below tongue)
- No sense of claustrophobia from ’stuff’ placed on face and hence ease of movement
- Can be used if one has a head cold, nasal congestion or a runny nose and cough.
Dis-advantages:
- The pill or pills need to be prescribed and bought well in advance of the dental appointment hence making this form of sedation not something that can be done without prior planning.
- The drug needs to be administered a little more than an hour BEFORE the appointment for its effect to be felt and hence the time spent at the office increases by almost a little more than an hour.
- The effect of the drug is poorly controlled with dosage i.e. the dosage of the drug can not be effectively balanced with the desired effect within a controlled span of time. This quality is called ’TITRATABILITY’
- If this form of sedation is chosen, there needs to be another RESPONSIBLE ADULT ACCOMPANYING / DRIVING THE PERSON HOME AFTER the appointment.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation:
This type of sedation involves the use of a special gas which reduces anxiety during dental treatment.
The gas enters the body via the lungs and causes a sedative effect on the brain. Since the gas is available in the dental office, it can be used on anyone needing it without prior planning AS LONG AS THERE HAS BEEN NO FOOD CONSUMED 2 HOURS PRIOR.
Advantages:
- Readily available at the office and readily administered so no prior planning / prescription needed
- Gas works within 5-10 min so time spent at the office is not increased with this form of sedation
- Gas is very efficiently controlled with dosage causing effect i.e. extremely titratable.
- This form of sedation does not require the client be driven/ accompanied after with another person. The gas is completely flushed out of the body with oxygen 10min after the administration of the laughing gas.
Dis-advantages
- Easy to administer but involves tubes and a nasal hood
- Some clients may experience a sense of claustrophobia as there is ’stuff’ placed on the face that impairs movement (We use a very low profile nose hood which you can barely feel)
- Can not be used if one has a head cold, nasal congestion or a runny nose and cough.
- Can not be used on clients with COPD / EMPHYSEMA
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