Sedation Dentist – Jacksonville, FL

What is Oral Conscious Sedation?

Oral conscious sedation is the use of special medication to help patients relax. There are a variety of brands that might be used depending on the situation, such as Valium, Ativan, and Halcion. You can usually expect to take the pill shortly before the start of the treatment. The effects may start to kick in before you get to our office, so plan on asking a trusted friend or family member to drive you.

How Does Oral Conscious Sedation Work? 

While under the effects of oral conscious sedation, you will be very calm and relaxed. You may also be sleepy enough to drift off, but our team should be able to wake you up again with a light shake. Thanks to the effect of the sedative, you won’t be bothered by the sights and sounds of the dental office, which can improve your overall experience.

We always make the safety and comfort of our patients our top priority. As such, we’ll closely monitor you while you’re sedated, and we’ll periodically ask about your current level of comfort. 

It can take hours for oral conscious sedation to fully wear off. As such, once your procedure is complete, you should have someone else drive you home. It’s best to plan on taking it easy for the remainder of the day until the effects of the sedative have completely dissipated.

Who is a Good Candidate for Oral Conscious Sedation?

If you’re wondering whether you could benefit from oral conscious sedation, try asking yourself the following questions:

• Are you often afraid, nervous, or anxious when it comes to dental care?
• Have you ever canceled a dental appointment because you were worried about what the dentist might tell you?
• Do you have an unusually strong gag reflex?
• Do you need to have multiple dental treatments performed in one sitting?
• Do you require a certain type of dental treatment that will take a while?
• Do you find it hard to hold your mouth open for a long time?
• Have you had negative experiences at the dentist’s office in the past?
• Is it hard for you to get numb with a local anesthetic?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then oral conscious sedation could be worth considering in your case! Talk to our team to let us know about your situation; after we review your health history, we can determine whether oral conscious sedation is a good fit for you.

Who is a Good Candidate for Nitrous Oxide?

We mentioned above that nitrous oxide is ideal for patients who only need a little help relaxing during dental appointments. It’s also beneficial for people who experience head/neck/jaw pain in the treatment chair, who have a sensitive gag reflex, or who struggle with dental-related anxiety. This calming solution has been tested extensively, and it’s considered safe for both children and adults alike. That said, there are some patients who aren’t candidates, including expecting mothers. Ultimately, if you want to find out if we can add nitrous oxide to your treatment plan, the best thing to do is give us a call to schedule a consultation!

How Does Nitrous Oxide Work?

Dr. Altenbach is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and has completed extensive training and continuing education in dental implant placement, including the Implant Educators Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Implant Continuum. As a result, he is specially qualified to place dental implants in-house, eliminating the need for you to have to travel to a different specialist’s office for this part of the procedure.

When you arrive at our Jacksonville dental office, one of our friendly team members will take you back to the treatment room, help you settle in comfortably, and answer any questions you have. Then, they will place a small nasal mask over your nose, allowing you to breathe in the sedative and oxygen. Within a few minutes, you’ll feel completely anxiety-free and utterly relaxed. This feeling will continue throughout your visit, and we can adjust the level of sedation as needed to keep you comfortable.

Note: Nitrous oxide will not put you to sleep. That said, some patients feel so at-ease they doze off. If that happens, we can gently wake you. We can also let you sleep peacefully until we’re done providing your preventive, restorative, or cosmetic care.

Aftercare for Nitrous Oxide

At the end of your appointment, we will switch off the nitrous oxide and remove the nasal mask. Within a few minutes, you’ll feel the effects wear off. That means you don’t have to worry about any lingering effects, like grogginess. Instead, you can drive yourself home and resume your usual routine!

Before you leave our office, we will provide you with aftercare instructions specific to the treatment you received. For example, if we restored a decayed tooth with a dental crown, we will ask you not to eat anything until the numbing agent wears off, to rinse periodically with warm saltwater, and to avoid chewing on that side of your mouth for 24 hours. As always, if you have any questions, you can give us a call – we’re here to help!