Modern dental practice is so comfortable and pleasant that almost all patients can tolerate or even enjoy their time in the dental chair. Effective and gentle local anesthesia with or without the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) allows nearly everyone to experience dental work with minimal stress. A light oral sedative can be given to a patient prior to dental treatment and is an option that helps allay anxiety, and promotes a relaxed yet awake state of consciousness.
At Linhart Dentistry, we are able to perform the most simple cleanings, to complex procudures like Porcelain Veneers, Dental Implants, and Full Mouth Rehabilitation under all different forms of anesthesia.
Some patients can benefit from or even require deeper sedation during their dental procedures than nitrous oxide, lidocaine (novocaine), or numbing gel.
Patients with extreme anxiety about dentistry may not be able to tolerate being awake at all during any but the most minor dental procedures. These patients may have suffered traumatic dental experiences as children or may have had difficulty “getting numb,” or even may have an intense gag reflex. Dental anxiety has prevented many patients from getting dental care for years (even decades!), resulting in a cycle of untreated dental decay, increased sensitivity and dental pain, and increased fear. Once a patient’s dental health has been restored (which may require several sessions under sedation), the patient now has healthy teeth, pain is eliminated, and often the dental phobia has lessened as well, allowing the patient to follow up with routine dental care while awake.
Many individuals with Special Needs such as Autism may not be able to tolerate any dental work at all while they are awake. Children who require extensive dental restoration may also not be able to cooperate for longer procedures. Often these patients are referred to a hospital setting for care, but Sedation Dentistry in the office may be a safe, less stressful and more pleasant option for many of these special patients and their families. At times a premedication may be given to help these patients tolerate intravenous placement (an IV), and then a rapidly acting, rapidly eliminated sedative is given to allow the patient to undergo a variety of dental procedures, including x-rays, cleanings and restorations. For many patients, Sedation Dentistry allows for the completion of necessary dental care that otherwise would be impossible.
Sedation Dentistry has been safely administered to thousands of patients in an in-office setting. The highest standard of care is by a Board Certified Anesthesiologist with vast experience in Office-Based Anesthesia, and Anesthesia for Dentistry in particular. Safe sedation begins by having patients complete a pre-anesthesia questionnaire and an evaluation by their private medical doctor. The anesthesiologist will review this information and then speak with the patient well in advance of the procedure to formulate the optimal sedation plan. During Sedation Dentistry the anesthesiologist continuously monitors the patients’ vital signs and administers just the right amounts and combinations of medication to achieve safe and effective sedation. Patients sleep safely throughout their dental work and awaken with the good news that the procedure has been completed!
Dr. Nadine Keegan is a board certified Anesthesiologist and has worked for years with Linhart Dentistry to provide comfortable treatment to our patients.
Please contact us if you have interest in anesthesia and sedation for your next visit!
– Nadine J. Keegan MD
