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Sedation Dentistry

Are you afraid of visiting the dentist or suffer from anxiety? Let sedation dentistry melt your fears away.  Using IV sedation, oral sedation or nitrous oxide, our doctors will find the sedation option that works best for you, ensuring a dental visit that is both relaxing and peaceful.

Have Questions?

Contact us to learn more about your options for sedation.

Watch A Quick Video

Dr. David Sullivan discusses why patients may request sedation and the different options that we provide.

Sedation Dentistry

Is Sedation Right for You?

You may be a candidate for sedation if you:

  • Have a high anxiety level about coming to the dentist and avoid dental procedure because of fear
  • Have had prior traumatic experiences at another dentist
  • Have a bad gag reflex making it difficult to take X-Rays, impressions, and work in the mouth
  • Have a fear of needles or shots, or have had difficulty getting numb in the past
  • Require complex surgical procedures such as bone grafting, multiple dental implant placement, wisdom tooth extraction, or extraction of multiple teeth
  • Have many dental needs and would prefer fewer, but longer, appointments to address these needs
  • Have a family member that cannot tolerate the scheduled dental treatment

Is Sedation Right for You?

You may be a candidate for sedation if you:

  • Have a high anxiety level about coming to the dentist and avoid dental procedure because of fear
  • Have had prior traumatic experiences at another dentist
  • Have a bad gag reflex making it difficult to take X-Rays, impressions, and work in the mouth
  • Have a fear of needles or shots, or have had difficulty getting numb in the past
  • Require complex surgical procedures such as bone grafting, multiple dental implant placement, wisdom tooth extraction, or extraction of multiple teeth
  • Have many dental needs and would prefer fewer, but longer, appointments to address these needs
  • Have a family member that cannot tolerate the scheduled dental treatment

IV Sedation / Oral Sedation Dentistry

IV sedation or oral sedation are often referred to as “sleep” dentistry. That’s because these methods of sedation are considered “conscious” sedation, giving patients the ability to respond to simple instructions. These effective methods of sedation often put the patient into a state of deep relaxation, producing hazy memories of their visit and an altered sense of time.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide is one of the most popular methods of sedation dentistry used at Mint Hill Dentistry. Also known as “laughing gas,” it can help you leave your anxieties behind. Dental patients treated with nitrous oxide experience an almost euphoric sense of calm, and because of the analgesic qualities of the gas, they also experience little discomfort, if any, during dental treatment. Learn more about nitrous oxide.

In-Office General Anesthesia

If a patient is not a candidate for oral or IV sedation, then they may elect to have general anesthesia. In this case we have an anesthesiologist come to the office to provide the general anesthesia, which can save the patient thousands of dollars in hospital bills.

Sedation Dentistry Questions and Answers

Many people are uncomfortable visiting the dentist. Your comfort is our highest priority and our office is designed so you can enjoy a relaxing dental visit.  For entertainment and distraction, stereo headphones with music and overhead televisions for watching TV, or movies are available so you can keep your mind on something else. Nitrous oxide is also offered to keep you comfortable and relaxed.

We offer a full range of sedation solutions to meet the needs of all patients. This includes IV sedation, oral sedation, nitrous oxide and in-office general anesthesia.

All the doctors at Mint Hill Dentistry have extensive education in sedation dentistry and have completed advanced training in this area. We have more than 75 years combined experience with sedation and are committed to providing safe dental treatment.

All patients treated with sedation will undergo a thorough medical review prior to the sedation appointment. During the sedation, our patients are continuously monitored for blood pressure, pulse, and blood oxygen level.

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