Sedation Services in Edmonton & Calgary
At Dental Choice, we offer a variety of sedation services to help anxious patients relax and feel comfortable while dental work is being performed. If dental anxiety has caused you to worry about or postpone treatment in the past, please advise your dentist. Our locations in Edmonton and Calgary, utilize sedation services techniques including oral sedation, nitrous oxide sedation, and IV sedation. Each patient is unique. To learn more about costs and pricing for dental procedures, please contact us.
Candidates for Sedation
Candidates for sedation services include individuals who are nervous or anxious about undergoing dental treatment. Some individuals may not look forward to going to the dentist’s office, while others have such severe dental anxiety that they avoid receiving dental care altogether. These individuals unfortunately do not receive the care that they need and often end up developing gum disease and other conditions that can seriously jeopardize their oral health and overall health.
We offer sedation techniques so that patients don’t have to postpone or avoid treatments any longer due to dental phobias or anxiety. We also offer sedation services to patients who undergo lengthy procedures or who simply want to enter a relaxed state so that they’re less aware of the treatment being performed. Almost all patients who are in good general health are appropriate candidates for sedation services techniques. Patients with certain medical conditions or who are taking some types of medications may not be suitable candidates.
The Dental Choice dentists will determine whether you are a candidate for sedation services as well as the method that will best meet your needs. Contact an office in Edmonton or Calgary near you.
Types of Sedation Services
Sedation techniques induce a calming state in patients so that they feel reduced or eliminated pain, or anxiety during treatment. These techniques also help ensure that dental treatment seems to go by faster from the patient’s perspective.
Often, patients have no memory of treatment even being performed.
Our practice uses three main types of sedation services: oral sedatives, nitrous oxide sedation, and IV sedation. Oral sedatives can be taken by the patient 30 minutes to an hour before the procedure. Nitrous oxide (also known as “laughing gas”) is inhaled by the patient to induce a moderate state of relaxation.
IV Sedation
IV sedation is an ideal technique for patients who require a deeper level of sedation than provided by mere oral medication. This technique induces a calm relaxed state through the intravenous administration of sedatives. However, unlike general anesthesia, this technique does not make the patient unconscious. Learn more about IV sedation.
Local anesthesia is used with oral sedatives, nitrous oxide, and IV sedation to reduce or eliminate pain and further reduce discomfort and stress.
Benefits of Sedative Dentistry
There are numerous benefits of sedative dentistry, including:
- Safety: When you undergo sedation at the dentist, you will not be completely unconscious, as you would be under anesthetics. You will simply be in a deeply relaxed state.
- Lowers anxiety: When you are in a deeply relaxed, sedative state, hour-long operations will feel like only minutes have passed. Going into dental procedures knowing that the process is going to feel much shorter than it actually is can help lower anxiety. And for most sedation, anxiety-inducing tools like needles or intravenous tubes are unnecessary. The lessened anxiety may help you to feel encouraged to continue with regular dental appointments and avoid further issues down the line.
- Flexible: There are many sedation options, and they can last anywhere from 2-6 hours depending on the type of sedation.
- Quick: Using sedation helps to cut down on the number of visits you will need, as more dental work can be accomplished when patients are under sedation. Dentists are also able to complete procedures quicker when they do not have to adjust to the patient’s movements or reactions.
- Great for special needs: For anyone with processing disorders or other disorders that impair the nervous system, sedative dentistry can be a good option. Individuals with these disorders feel very uncomfortable and highly sensitive in dental settings, so the sedative will create a relaxed and quick experience for them.
What to Expect Before and After Your Procedure
There are a number of things you can expect before and after your sedative dentistry procedure. Before your treatment, you will have a consultation with the dentist to discuss your medical history as well as your lifestyle to determine which sedation method and dosage may work best for you.
Here are some general guidelines to follow right before your procedure:
- No food or water for 8 hours prior to your procedure unless otherwise directed.
- Do not use drugs or drink alcohol.
- Follow your specific instructions from your dentist on how to properly prepare.
- Wear comfortable clothes to the appointment.
After the procedure, you may or may not feel residual effects from the sedative and/or side effects. Some post-procedure tips to keep in mind include:
- Have another responsible adult take you home, as you will likely feel drowsy and will be unable to drive.
- Do not operate any heavy machinery or drive until 24 hours after the procedure.
- Eat and drink normally to help you return to your normal state, but avoid dairy at first, as it may upset your stomach. Go by how you feel in order to determine how quickly or slowly you can return to your normal eating habits.
- Stay hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
- Avoid scheduling anything else on the day of the procedure so that you have plenty of time to rest and recuperate.
- Do not smoke or drink alcohol for 24 hours post-procedure.
- Take your time, as the drowsiness will make you move slower and be more prone to dizziness.
Learn More About Sedation Dentistry in Edmonton & Calgary
You no longer have to wonder, “Where can I find a dentist who does sedation near me?” With locations across Edmonton and Calgary, we are always close by. We invite you to contact a Dental Choice Location in Edmonton or Calgary, Alberta to learn more about how sedation services can help make your dental visits relaxing and comfortable.
We also employ all of these state-of-the-art sedation services for our Edmonton tooth extraction services!
*Practice of General Dentistry
For information on our Sedation Dentistry services, please check out the pages below: