Dental anxiety is more common than you might think, and at Mirage Dental Associates, we want every patient to feel as calm and comfortable as possible. That’s why we offer nitrous oxide—also known as “laughing gas”—as a gentle form of sedation that helps ease nerves and promote a relaxed experience throughout your treatment.
Nitrous oxide is a safe, mild sedative administered through a small mask placed over the nose. As you breathe it in, the gas produces a light, calming sensation that helps reduce anxiety without putting you to sleep. Most patients describe feeling more at ease or even slightly euphoric, making it easier to receive the care they need.
This form of sedation takes effect quickly and wears off just as fast. Once your procedure is complete and the gas is turned off, you’ll return to your normal state within minutes—often without any lingering side effects. Best of all, you can typically drive yourself home afterward and resume your daily activities without interruption.
Sedation dentistry offers patients with general anxiety or fears about a dental procedure the opportunity to have a more comfortable and stress-free experience. By utilizing safe and controlled sedation techniques, the patient is eased into a state of complete relaxation before the procedure. This approach eliminates discomfort, pain, and preoperative anxiety, and typically makes patients feel more at ease post-operatively, as they have little or no memory of the actual moment-to-moment procedure.
Local anesthesia involves an injection directly into or close to the area where a procedure is being performed. While it eliminates any sensation of pain in the targeted area, it does not affect your state of mind or level of anxiety. When a patient receives sedation, additional medications to ease anxiety and promote relaxation are employed in advance of local anesthesia. In this way, both the stress and discomfort associated with a procedure are eliminated. Sedation can be administered in a variety of forms based upon patient needs and the recommendations of the dentist or dental anesthesiologist.
Choosing the most appropriate method of sedation for a procedure depends on a variety of factors such as a patient's medical history and their level of anxiety. Dental sedation can come in the form of nitrous oxide sedation, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation. Certain patients receiving comprehensive treatment or undergoing a complex surgical procedure may require general anesthesia in a hospital setting.
Nitrous oxide, or "laughing gas," is a mild sedative, which is inhaled through a small mask over the nose. A standard in dental sedation for decades, the effects of nitrous oxide are almost immediate and wear off quickly once your procedure is completed.
Oral sedation involves the prescription of an oral medication prior to your appointment. Taken at the recommended time before your visit, oral sedation allows you to feel fully relaxed by the time you're ready for your procedure. With oral sedation, it's necessary to plan on having an escort to and from your dentist's office.
IV Sedation is administered intravenously, or directly into a vein. It is typically indicated when a deeper state of sedation is required. Your dentist will provide you with specific instructions before your visit, and require that you have an escort for the trip home from your appointment.
