Sedation Dentistry in Bellevue, WA
Sedation for dental work is an important element in ensuring our patients are comfortable during their dental treatment. Though our ultimate goal is for our patients to be comfortable without sedation, we recognize it takes time to build up that trust and to eliminate the anxiety, fears, and stress that some patients may have when it comes to dental care. Our team at Bellevue Hilltop Dental offers several levels of sedation for dental procedures to help these patients. Learn more about sedation dentistry in Bellevue, WA, to fully understand what your upcoming dental procedure will entail.
Common Types of Sedation for Dental Procedures:
There are three common types of sedation medications most dental offices use during various procedures: IV sedation, oral conscious sedation, and laughing gas. IV (intravenous) sedation is administered directly into a patient’s bloodstream and provides a deep sleep, which is beneficial for especially anxious patients. IVs are ideal for longer operations because a sedation dentist can adjust the amount of medication at any time. This type of sedation is not typically done in our practice but will be referred out to ensure our patients are in the hands of a properly trained provider. Oral conscious sedation medications, like diazepam or triazolam, are very common for shorter, less intense dental procedures. Some patients fall asleep on oral conscious sedation, while most maintain a “twilight sleep” consciousness—they don’t feel any pain or maintain memories of the operation, but technically the doctor can still communicate with them as necessary. Finally, laughing gas (nitrous oxide) is the least severe of these three dental sedation medications and is common for very minor operations. Patients are given pure oxygen after their treatment to remove remaining nitrous oxide from their system and mitigate any sedative effects, allowing them to drive themselves home immediately after the procedure!
Sedation Dentistry in Bellevue, WA
Ultimately, the use of sedation for dental procedures affords patients less pain, anxiety, and downtime before, during, or after an oral operation. Most importantly, our sedation dentists in Bellevue ensure each patient receives the ideal treatments and medications so that they can have a successful and enjoyable experience. Contact our friendly team at Bellevue Hilltop Dental today to learn more about the sedation medications we utilize in our facility.