Sedation Dentistry

At Foy Aesthetic and Family Dentistry, we understand that not everyone is comfortable in the dentist chair. We offer both laughing gas and oral conscious sedation for patients who are nervous about dental work as well as to increase comfort during procedures such as cavity fillings, root canals, and dental implant placement.

What is sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry is designed to increase comfort and decrease pain experienced during dental work. There are many different types of sedation used in dentistry. At Foy Aesthetic and Family Dentistry, we use two main kinds of sedation in our dental work: laughing gas and oral conscious sedation.

Laughing gas is administered with a mask that goes over the nose and is breathed in by the patient. It relaxes the patient and often makes them giggly, hence the name “laughing gas.” It is completely safe. Laughing gas wears off quickly and you can drive yourselfs to and from the appointment.

Oral conscious sedation is generally in the form of a pill. It does not knock a patient out like anesthesia for surgery. Common types of oral conscious sedation include Valium, Ativan, and Vistaril. Oral conscious sedation is taken before the appointment, so you will have to arrange for someone to take you to and from the appointment.

Oral conscious sedation is often chosen because it is effective and easy, and there are no needles involved.

Why choose sedation dentistry?

Sedation dentistry alleviates the stress of visiting the dentist. For many patients who have had previous bad experiences with dental work elsewhere, sedation helps mitigate the anxiety of past trauma. It is also extremely useful when patients are afraid of dentists or needles. Sedation allows Dr. Foy to get more dental work done in a faster time, which can decrease the number of appointments required.