Are you or is someone you love afraid to go to the dentist. At First State Dental, we offer sleep or oral sedation, and nitrous oxide gas (laughing gas).
Oral sedation
With sleep dentistry, your visit is as easy as taking a nap. All you do is take a pill, and let us fix up your smile. Using a safe oral medication, you can sleep through your treatment. .
The Wilmington dentist and dental team, have received extensive training from the Oral Sedation Dentistry specialists.
Oral Sedation Dentistry, also called sleep dentistry, is able to reach out and provide needed dental care to those who otherwise would not receive it. The number one reason people don't go to the dentist is fear or extreme anxiety. Sedation Dentistry is recommended for adults age 18 to 80, but a careful screening will be performed, during the consultation phase, for any medical conditions that may prevent you from being a candidate.
Sedation dentistry procedure
You will take a small pill approximately one hour prior to arriving at our office. You will need to have a companion drive you to the office since you will not be able to drive yourself. By the time you arrive at the office, you will feel very drowsy.
You will be escorted by our staff to a comfortable chair. You will be hooked up to a device that will monitor your vital signs throughout your visit. When you are resting comfortably, we will begin your treatment. When you are finished with your treatment, your companion will drive you home. You may not even remember being at our office.
Will sedation dentistry make a patient unconscious?
No, you will be very relaxed, but you will be able to respond. Even though you are not technically asleep, our patients describe the experience as being similar. You will have little or no memory of the appointment. You will not even remember any sounds or smells.
Does my companion have to stay at the office?
Your companion must drive you to our office for your appointment and return you home afterwards. During the actual procedure, your companion is free to stay in our comfortable office, or leave and come back to pick you up at the end of the procedure. Your companion must agree to stay with you for the next 12 hours.
Will I have an IV?
No tubes or needles are necessary for the sedation. You just simply swallow a pill.
Will I feel anything?
No, the procedure is painless. You will feel no discomfort.
How long will I be sedated?
You will be sedated for 2 to 8 hours.
Nitrous Oxide sedation
Nitrous Oxide, commonly called "Laughing Gas" is one of the safest forms of sedation available to alleviate anxiety during dental procedures.
Nitrous oxide is simply a gas which you breathe in through a small personal mask you wear only on your nose. Nitrous oxide is colorless and odorless and does not irritate the breathing passages. Within minutes the patient experiences a relaxed and euphoric state, hence the term “laughing gas”. The patient is back to normal soon after the mask is removed. This means you are 100% ready to independently carry on your life after the use of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide does not affect any other part of the body but the brain and once breathing nitrous oxide ceases the patient feels normal as 100% of the gas has been exhaled. With the exception of people who have obstructive lung disease or blocked nasal passages, virtually anyone including children can be treated safely with nitrous oxide.
We can vary the depth of sedation with nitrous oxide depending on your level of anxiety. Nitrous oxide gas also tends to reduce gag reflexes and saliva flow. Most importantly, you will bask in a feeling of relaxation while breathing nitrous oxide gas as we care for you.