Ease Your Mind & Calm Your Nerves
Dental anxiety is a common reason many people avoid visiting the dentist. At Panneton Dental Group, we don’t want you to neglect your oral health due to fear or anxiety. That’s why we offer sedation dentistry to help calm patients’ nerves when undergoing dental work.
If you feel sedation dentistry can help you during dental appointments, ask Dr. Panneton about our options and he’ll recommend the best solution for you.
Our Safe Sedation Dentistry Options
Sedation dentistry is used to ensure patients won’t feel pain during their treatment as well as calm any nerves or anxiety they’re experiencing. At Panneton Dental Group, we offer three forms of dental sedation for your convenience.
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a low-level sedative that can ease your sensations during treatment. This form of sedation is administered through a mask that’s worn over your nose. You’ll feel the effects immediately, sending you into a deep state of relaxation that eliminates anxiety while you remain conscious.
Even if it’s just a routine dental checkup, nitrous oxide can make your visit pass by quickly without any unpleasant feelings. Nitrous oxide is safe for both children and adults and doesn’t cause any side effects. Once your treatment is complete, the sedation will wear off quickly and most patients can safely drive themselves home.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral conscious sedation is administered in pill form before your treatment. This form of sedation won’t put you to sleep but is slightly stronger than nitrous oxide. While you’ll be conscious during the treatment, you won’t remember many details as your sensations will be extremely dulled.
Time will pass by quickly under oral conscious sedation. This sedation technique may take a while to wear off, so we require someone with you that you can trust to safely drive you home.
IV Sedation
IV sedation is a powerful sedative that’s administered into the bloodstream through a vein. The sedation will quickly take effect, putting you into what’s called a “twilight sleep.” This means that you’re awake and responsive but in a deep state of relaxation.
You’ll have little to no memory of the procedure once you come out of IV sedation. Since the effects are strong, you’ll need someone you trust to drive you home after the treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, sedation dentistry is completely safe. Our dentists are highly qualified and trained to administer sedation. Throughout your procedure, a team member will monitor you and your vital signs to ensure you’re comfortable and that there are no risks of complications. If any issues arise, we’ll simply stop and immediately reverse the sedation to ensure your well-being.
Before your procedure, we’ll provide you with a local anesthetic and your choice of sedation so that you won’t feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure. Throughout your treatment, our dentist and expert team will check on you and alleviate any pain or discomfort you might experience.
After your procedure, the anesthetic and sedation will wear off. While it’s common to experience some mild discomfort and soreness afterward, this can easily be alleviated by over-the-counter pain medication and cold compresses. If you continue to experience discomfort and pain, call our Omaha office at (402) 934-5200 or our La Vista office at (402) 537-4620 to schedule an appointment. Dr. Panneton will assess the situation and provide the best course of action based on your dental needs.
The length of your sedation depends on your dental needs and the type of procedure you’re undergoing. On average, you’ll be sedated for two to four hours. After the procedure and the sedation wears off, you’ll feel droopy. We recommend that you have someone you trust to drive you to and from your appointment. For everyone’s safety, you shouldn’t drive for the next 24 hours.
Some common symptoms include:
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Trouble remembering the procedure